Arrests Made In Rock Island Car Theft, 4-Year-Old's Abduction: Police

ROCK ISLAND, IL — An 18-year-old man and four juveniles have been charged in their involvement in a motor vehicle theft in which a 4-year-old girl was abducted, Rock Island police said.

Just after 6 a.m. Thursday, a brown Saturn Outlook was stolen from the 1300 block of 14 ½ Street, with 4-year-old Blessing Aoci still in the back seat of the running vehicle. Rock Island police responded to the area within minutes and started a search. The Saturn was found about 15 minutes later near 8th Street and 15th Avenue. The vehicle was unoccupied and the child’s safety booster seat was missing, police said.

Within minutes, information and a photo of the missing child was posted on the Rock Island Police Department’s Facebook page, and was eventually shared 43,000 times. The Illinois State Police issued an Amber Alert in the little girl's abduction. The information was later sent out to cell phones by the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

>>> Missing Rock Island Girl Believed Abducted Found Safe: Police

A command post was set up in the area. According to police, officers canvassed the area for Blessing while the Rock Island and Moline police departments, and the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office flew drones in an attempt to locate the missing child. Later, search efforts were focused on the blocks surrounding where the car was stolen, which included voluntary searches of residences and property, Rock Island police said on Facebook.

Assisting in the search were Rock Island County Sheriff's Office, the Moline Police Department, the Village of Milan Police Department, the Davenport Police Department, Illinois State Police Troop 2, the FBI, the United States Marshals Service, and countless neighbors and volunteers, police said. For almost nine hours, teams of law enforcement and volunteers combed the neighborhood with no sign of Blessing.

According to police, at approximately 2:53 p.m., Blessing was found nearby and in apparent good health. She was immediately reunited with her mother and then transported by the Rock Island Fire Department to Unity Point Health-Trinity Rock Island for evaluation.

KWQC is reporting that the 4-year-old was found in an alley Thursday afternoon. The investigation and Blessing’s recovery is ongoing. More information will be released as it becomes available.

The Rock Island Police Department made several arrests in connection with the case:

Jaron Bailey-Harris, 18, was arrested and charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a stolen vehicle.

In addition, four juveniles, two males and two females, were also apprehended and charged with following charges, police said.

Juvenile #1, a 16-year-old male, charged with kidnapping and possession of a stolen vehicle
Juvenile #2, a 16-year-old male, charged with possession of a stolen vehicle
Juvenile #3, a 15-year-old female, charged with possession of a stolen vehicle
Juvenile #4, a 14-year-old female , charged with possession of a stolen vehicle

“While this incident had the high potential to become an unbelievable tragedy, it ultimately resulted in the best possible outcome, due large in part to the incredibly cooperative efforts between the Quad City, State and Federal Law Enforcement agencies working side by side with concerned citizens and our media organizations, said Chief Tim McCloud in a written statement. “I’m proud to have seen what we can accomplish when we all work together toward a common goal, and you all have my most sincere gratitude.”

The incident remains under investigation by the Rock Island Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division. Anyone with information related to this case is asked to contact the Rock Island police at 309-732-2677; Crime Stoppers at 309-762-9500 or using the P3 Tips app.