Two teens allegedly abducted infant, told mom they were trafficking victims

Two teen girls were arrested in the abduction of a 3-month-old Milwaukee boy after they told his mother they were homeless and needed a place to stay, police said.

The teens, ages 14 and 16, are suspected of abducting Anthony L. Crudup Jr. from his Milwaukee home early Wednesday, police said in a statement Thursday.

The boy’s mother, Shatina Cureton, told WISN she had never met the girls before but she let them stay at her home after they told her they were homeless and being victimized by sex traffickers.

“They told me they were being molested and that they were being human trafficked, and their mom was making them do things with her boyfriend,” Cureton told the station Thursday.

But when the mom awoke at 2 a.m. Wednesday, her son and the teens were gone. An Amber Alert was issued to track down Anthony, who was found unharmed Wednesday afternoon at a home just blocks away, police said.

“I feel like they should be prosecuted to the max because they didn’t have no business taking my baby. I mean, stuff like this only happens in Lifetime movies,” Cureton told WISN.

Police have not commented on Cureton’s claims, but sources close to the case told WISN the 16-year-old suspect told investigators something similar.

The teen said no one believed her claims that she was being sexually abused and thought if she showed up with a baby, her accusations would be taken seriously, WISN reported.

The two teens were taken into custody in the boy’s abduction, along with three Milwaukee men on unrelated charges, police said.

Criminal charges in the case will be forwarded to prosecutors in coming days, police said.

“The Milwaukee Police Department is thankful that Anthony is safe, and appreciate all the
assistance we received from our community and other partners in order to locate Anthony,” department officials said.

The case is expected to prosecuted in juvenile court and the teen girls remained in juvenile detention Thursday, WISN reported.

Cureton, meanwhile, said she regrets that her act of kindness turned into a mother’s worst nightmare.

“I learned my lesson. I can’t trust nobody,” she told WDJT. “They really deceived me. They lied to me.”

Asked why she believed the teens allegedly took her son, Cureton replied: “I guess apparently one of the girls wanted to act like she was pregnant or wanted to act like it was her baby.”