ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS – Authorities in Illinois and Iowa were on high alert after a car was stolen Thursday with a 4-year-old girl still inside, but by the Grace of the Lord, the young child was returned unharmed by the five teens who are now in deep, deep trouble.
On Thursday, January 16, 2025 at approximately 6:07 a.m. a brown Saturn Outlook was reported by Princess Ilunga as stolen from the 1300 block of 14th ½ Street with four-year old Blessing Aoci still in the back seat of the vehicle. Officers responded to the area within minutes and started a search. Approximately 14 minutes later, the stolen vehicle was located in the area of 8th St and 15th Ave, unoccupied.
Immediately, information, and shortly after a picture (see above), was posted about the missing child on the Rock Island Police Department’s Facebook page, which was shared just under 43,000 times. The Illinois State Police was also contacted to issue an Amber Alert. The information was later sent out to cell phones by the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
A Command Post was set up in the area of 15th Street and 15th Avenue utilizing the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System (ILEAS) Unified Command Post Vehicle. Officers canvassed the area for Blessing while the Rock Island Police Department, Moline Police Department, and the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office flew drones in an attempt to locate Blessing. Later, search efforts were focused on the blocks surrounding where the car was stolen, which included voluntary searches of residences and property.
Assisting in the search were personnel from the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office, Moline Police Department, Village of Milan Police Department, Davenport Police Department, Illinois State Police Troop 2, FBI, the United States Marshals Service, and countless neighbors and volunteers. For almost nine hours, teams of law enforcement and volunteers combed the neighborhood with no sign of Blessing.
At approximately 2:53 PM, while in the area, Blessing was located nearby and in apparent good health. She was immediately reunited with her mother and then transported by the Rock Island Fire Department to Unity Point Trinity for evaluation. The investigation into the details of the incident and her recovery is ongoing and more information will be released as it becomes available, police say.
The Rock Island Police Department made several arrests in connection with this case:
Jaron Bailey-Harris (pictured at top), 18 years of age, was arrested and charged with Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Possession of a Stolen Vehicle.
Additionally, four juveniles were apprehended for the following charges:
Juvenile #1, a 16-year old Hispanic male – Kidnapping and Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
Juvenile #2, a 16-year old Black male – Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
Juvenile #3, a 15-year old Black female – Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
Juvenile #4, a 14-year old Black female – Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
From Rock Island Police Chief Tim McCloud:
“While this incident had the high potential to become an unbelievable tragedy, it ultimately resulted in the best possible outcome, due large in part to the incredibly cooperative efforts between the Quad City, State and Federal Law Enforcement agencies working side by side with concerned citizens and our media organizations. I’m proud to have seen what we can accomplish when we all work together toward a common goal, and you all have my most sincere gratitude.”
The incident remains under investigation by the Rock Island Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division.