Couple pleads guilty to kidnapping two-year-old girl
The mother of a 2-year-old girl and her friend pleaded guilty Friday to kidnapping the toddler at the Chuck E. Cheese restaurant in Garden Grove in February.
Ileane Unique Shelton, 21, the girl’s mother, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, kidnapping of a child under 14 and child abduction, all felonies, as well as a lesser charge of child abuse and endangerment. She was sentenced to two years in prison.
Co-defendant Kweli Israel Murphy, 22, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, kidnapping of a child under 14, illegal use of tear gas and child abduction (all felonies), as well as two counts of assault and child abuse and endangerment (all misdemeanors). Murphy was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.
Authorities said the girl was picked up at about 11:15 a.m. on February 21 during a visit supervised by a social worker.
Shelton had arranged to meet the social worker and her daughter at about 11 a.m. at the Chuck E. Cheese restaurant near 13101 Harbor Blvd., Garden Grove police Lt. Nick Jensen said.
But just as the meeting was about to take place, a male suspect approached the social worker and sprayed her with pepper spray, Jensen said. Shelton and the male suspect then took the girl and fled in a Toyota Rav4 driven by another suspect, he said.
In response to the girl’s disappearance, the California Highway Patrol issued an Amber Alert.
Tips from the public, other investigative approaches and cooperation with other law enforcement agencies led police to find the girl safe and sound at a bus station in Palm Springs shortly before 4 p.m., Jensen said.
