Baby abducted by men trying to find relative?

An 18-month-old baby who was wrestled from the arms of her mother in Montego Bay, St James, on Monday is reportedly being held captive by men trying to locate a relative.

Detectives attached to the Barnett Street and Freeport police stations have launched intensive searches to locate the child, Akelia Patten, otherwise called Paris.

Senior police sources yesterday said that it is unclear why the abductors were seeking to locate the relative.

According to police reports, the child's mother received a telephone call informing her that she should take the baby to a clinic in downtown Montego Bay for a check-up.

THE STAR understands that the phone call was not made for or on behalf of the health centre, but rather by someone who wanted to lure them out of the house.

It is further understood that after leaving the clinic, the 26-year-old mother was walking along Humber Avenue about 10:30 a.m., when a black Toyota Voxy bus drove up.

Two men armed with handguns jumped out and held her at gunpoint. The men then wrestled the baby from her grasp before escaping in the motor vehicle. The mother was reportedly told by the men that the child was being taken because they have been unable to locate the relative.

Investigators say they are asking members of the public who may be able to assist them in their investigations to contact the Barnett Street police at 876-952-2333, police emergency 119, or the nearest police station.

Young Akelia is said to be of brown completion and about 2 feet 6 inches tall. She also has a milk spot on her upper lip.