Three people face a long list of felony charges after Pennsylvania police allegedly caught them stealing copper wire in the middle of the night—only to discover a four-month-old baby had been left behind in one of the getaway cars.
The incident began around 2:15 a.m. on March 30, when officers in Upper Chichester Township responded to a report of people tampering with cable wires near the 3100 block of Meetinghouse Road. Upon arrival, police spotted a maroon Chrysler 300 and a Jeep Liberty.
The Chrysler was reportedly overflowing with evidence; authorities said cable wire was sticking out of the open trunk, and hand saws were sitting in plain view on the passenger seats, according to WPVI.
Investigators believe the group was targeting inactive Verizon cables for the copper inside. Upper Chichester Police Department Lt. Christopher Jones explained to the outlet that the metal is frequently stolen to be melted down and pawned.
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As officers arrived, the suspects reportedly fled the scene in the Jeep, leaving the Chrysler behind. Police had the vehicle towed to headquarters to await a search warrant.
It was only after the car was secured at the station that an officer noticed a blanket moving in the backseat. Underneath, they found a baby boy tucked into a car seat.
“Once it was back here, our officers were checking the exterior of the car, and one officer noticed that a blanket in the backseat moved slightly,” Lt. Jones told local news. The infant was unharmed and sleeping. He was immediately taken to a local hospital for a medical evaluation.
The mother, 32-year-old Angelina Williams, was apprehended shortly after when police in neighboring Aston pulled over the Jeep Liberty. Authorities say Williams admitted to her involvement in the theft.
The baby’s father, 49-year-old Joseph Daniels, was arrested the following Saturday during a separate traffic stop after state troopers discovered he had an active warrant. A third man, 47-year-old Ray Gibase, was also identified as a suspect and later turned himself in.
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All three defendants are charged with child endangerment, conspiracy, criminal mischief, and multiple counts of theft. Williams is currently being held on $100,000 bail. Daniels and Gibase are also in custody with bail set at $45,000 and $50,000, respectively.
Court records indicate that Williams is due back in court this Thursday, while hearings for the two men are set for mid-April.
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