Woman, 44, arrested for kidnapping two-year-old boy from nursery in Virginia 'may have targeted kids at TWO other churches' prior to the abduction, cops reveal after the toddler was reunited with his mom
A woman accused of kidnapping a two-year-old boy from a Virginia church nursery may have targeted other children in the area prior to the abduction, police say.
Nancy Fridley, 44, was arrested on Monday and charged with snatching Noah Gabriel Trout from the Riverview Baptist Church in Ripplemead the day before.
Noah was found safe - and with a newly shaved head - at Fridley's trailer 75 miles away from the church in Clifton Forge on Monday afternoon before being reunited with his mother.
The Giles County Sheriff's Office later revealed that Fridley had allegedly been seen outside two other churches in nearby Narrows - New Valley Fellowship Church and Mountain View Ministries - in the weeks before the kidnapping and on the day Noah went missing.
'There was another incident that was reported to us, sometime around 11.30am on Sunday,' Chief Deputy Scott Moye said. 'She had been to one other church we believe.'
In a news release the sheriff's office said investigators suspect Fridley may have been 'casing other places outside of Giles County to commit similar acts'.
Noah Gabriel Trout was found safe in Clifton Forge on Monday - a day after he went missing. His head had been shaved by the suspects, police said. He is pictured back with his mother
Police said it appeared Fridley targeted Noah at random.
'All indications point to this being a stranger abduction, and Noah being chosen by Fridley at random,' Moye said.
Fridley's boyfriend, Bobby Lee Taylor, 42, was also charged with one count of abduction
Fridley's boyfriend, Bobby Lee Taylor, 42, was also arrested and charged with one count of abduction.
They are both currently being held in the Alleghany Regional Jail.
During a press conference, the Giles County Sheriff's department said investigators tracked a person of interest to a home in Clifton Forge, Virginia.
After conducting surveillance there, they found a boy who matched Noah's description.
Although Noah 'seemed fine', he was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.
Noah disappeared on Sunday and was last seen being led away from the nursery at Riverview Baptist Church in Ripplemead, which is near the border of West Virginia, by a woman.
Deputies and the Virginia State Police issued the Amber Alert for Noah at 7pm. Sunday, believing the boy to be in 'extreme danger'.
An image taken from surveillance footage shows Noah being led out of the church building by an unknown woman.
In a statement to WAVY 10 on Monday, Riverview officials said they fully cooperated with law enforcement.
Noah disappeared on Sunday and was last seen being led away from the nursery at Riverview Baptist Church in Ripplemead, which is near the border of West Virginia, by a woman
Deputies and the Virginia State Police issued the Amber Alert for Noah at 7pm. Sunday, believing the boy to be in 'extreme danger'. An image taken from surveillance footage shows Noah being led out of the church building by an unknown woman
Trout was found at Fridley's home about 75 miles away from the Riverview Baptist Church, pictured, in Ripplemead from where he was taken
During a press conference, Giles County Sheriff's department said investigators tracked a person of interest to a home in Clifton Forge, Virginia, pictured
The church said they have also started 'examining ways to make our campus and facilities even more safe and secure for families wishing to come worship with us'.
'We hope that this criminal act on our campus allows other churches to evaluate their own childcare safety procedures.
'We believe that transparency, child safety, and accountability are essential for successful ministry, and we are fully committed to ministering to your children in a safe and responsible manner,' the statement reads.
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