Seattle police arrested a Renton woman in a kidnapping investigation on Aug. 17.
According to police documents, Rakesha Davis lured a Seattle child into her vehicle with ice cream prior to driving away.
Seattle police received a report of a child abduction at approximately 1:50 p.m. Aug. 17 in the south precinct of Seattle. According to documents, the siblings of the kidnapped child saw an unknown adult lure the child from a residence into her vehicle.
As the children described the suspect and suspect vehicle to officers, a neighbor overheard and recognized the suspect description as Davis, and provided her identifying information.
Police discovered her home address at an apartment complex in Renton and responded to the address, speaking with the occupants, according to the department. The occupants attempted to call Davis unsuccessfully. According to the department, the mother of an occupant stated Davis asked her previously for assistance in rescuing a child.
As officers attempted to coordinate with occupants to contact her, Davis arrived at the residence with the kidnapped child in her arms, according to the department. Police arrested her and transported her to the King County Jail for investigation of a kidnapping.
According to documents, Davis experienced delusions of saving the child, with occupants advising police of Davis’s history of mental illness.
The King County Superior Court held a first appearance hearing for Davis on Aug. 18, according to an email from Casey McNerthney, director of communications at the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in Seattle.
At the hearing, the court found probable cause for investigation of kidnapping.
King County prosecutors argued for the court to set Davis’s bail at $350,000 and Davis’s defense asked for her release on personal recognizance at the hearing, according to McNerthney’s email. The court set Davis’s bail at $350,000.
According to McNerthney’s email, the court ordered Davis to have no contact with minors, including her own children, without supervision in addition to standard conditions.
Prosecutors have not formally charged Davis as of Aug. 18 as police investigation into the incident continues. Prosecutors expect to receive a case referral from Seattle police investigators on Aug. 22 with additional documents required for a charging decision.