Inset: Nicole T. Thomas (PCSO). Background: The block in Florida where Thomas allegedly tried to kidnap a 9-year-old (Google Maps).
A 56-year-old woman in Florida is accused of posing as a government employee to abduct a 9-year-old boy from his babysitter, even calling the sheriff's office to request assistance from deputies who quickly arrested her instead.
Nicole Terry Thomas was taken into custody on Friday and charged with four counts of attempted first-degree kidnapping, as well as additional counts of committing a criminal act under the color of law, trespass after warning, misuse of 911 system, and unarmed burglary of an occupied dwelling, court records show.
According to a news release from the Polk County Sheriff's Office, deputies at about 3:22 p.m. responded to a call for assistance at a residence in the 2800 block of Eight Iron Drive. The caller spoke to the Emergency Communications Center and requested a deputy's assistance "with the removal of children from a home."
"The caller identified herself as Thomas, and she claimed to be an employee of DCF," the release states.
Deputies first spoke with the babysitter, who explained that she was watching the 9-year-old and three other children when Thomas and another woman began knocking "on the front door and front window." Thomas allegedly told the babysitter that "she was a DCF case manager and was at the residence to pick up [the 9-year-old] and take him to his mother."
When the sitter refused to give her the child, Thomas allegedly threatened to remove all the children from the home.
"Ms. Thomas proceeded to the end of the drive way and made a phone call in which she said she would be working late due [to] finding homes for all of the children she was going to be removing from the residence at [redacted]," a deputy wrote in a probable cause affidavit. "At no point did Ms. Thomas present a DCF business card or proof or employment when requested. [The babysitter] also instructed Ms. Thomas several time[s] to leave the property, however she refused to do so and called 911."
Authorities said the child's mother had mental disabilities and did not have custody of her child at the time of the incident. She told investigators she had met Thomas through her church. Thomas allegedly told her she worked for DCF and "would be able to help get the mother's life back on track, to include getting custody of her son."
When confronted by deputies, Thomas allegedly admitted to posing as a DCF agent.
"In what was probably the only smart thing she said or did that afternoon, Nicole Thomas admitted to detectives that she should have known better," Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement. "She impersonated a government employee, threatened to take four children, and even called 911 to try to get a deputy to help her pull it all off. I'd say she clearly didn't think that one through."
Thomas is currently being held without bond and is scheduled to appear for a pretrial hearing on Feb. 19.
Follow Law&Crime:
Comments