Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Chesco woman convicted of kidnapping baby at King of Prussia mall
NORRISTOWN >> A Chester County woman showed no emotion and remained calm as a judge convicted her of charges she kidnapped a baby from its mother at the King of Prussia Plaza and then tried to conceal the baby’s whereabouts.
Cherie R. Amoore, 33, of the 900 block of Upper Gulph Road, Tredyffrin, was convicted Friday in Montgomery County Court of felony charges of kidnapping and concealment of whereabouts of a child in connection with the March 31, 2016, abduction of 7-month-old Ahsir Simmons. Judge William R. Carpenter rendered the verdict after Amoore sought a non-jury trial at which
trial at which she stipulated to certain facts contained in a criminal complaint.
Carpenter deferred sentencing so that court officials can complete a background investigative report about Amoore. The judge permitted Amoore to remain free on bail while she awaits sentencing.
Amoore, whose mother is Pennsylvania Republican Party Deputy Chairwoman Renee Amoore, faces a possible maximum sentence of 13½ to 27 years in prison on the charges. However, state sentencing guidelines could allow for less jail time.
“We will be seeking a significant state sentence in this case,” said Assistant District Attorney Brianna Ringwood. “The defendant stole a very young baby from the safety and security of the child’s mother and by her conduct she caused a lot of distress and emotional harm to the family who thought that the child was gone forever. This is every parent’s worst nightmare.”
Amoore did not respond to reporters’ questions as she left the courthouse with her lawyer, Marc R. Steinberg. On Friday, Steinberg informed the judge that Amoore was withdrawing her earlier notice of an insanity defense.
No witnesses were presented by Ringwood or Steinberg during the abbreviated trial.
The baby was found unharmed at Amoore’s residence following an extensive five-hour search involving multiple law enforcement agencies.
Authorities alleged surveillance video shows Amoore approaching Simmons’ mother at the Plaza about 5:40 p.m., sitting down with her at the food court in the lower level, engaging her in conversation and then absconding with the infant as the mother was tending to another child. The child’s mother did not know Amoore, detectives said.
The surveillance video was submitted to the judge as part of the stipulated evidence, as were statements given to authorities by witnesses and Amoore.
The video showed Amoore leaving the shopping center with the baby, taking two steps at a time as she hurried up a stairwell leading to a mall exit, according to the criminal complaint.
Prosecutors alleged Amoore took the child to her home and introduced the child to her boyfriend as their newborn son. Amoore also held the baby out to other relatives as her own child and those relatives even took photographs with the baby, believing him to be Amoore’s child, according to prosecutors.
Through information provided by witnesses, investigators were able to identify Amoore as the person who abducted the baby, according to court documents. At 10:18 p.m., investigators went to Amoore’s residence.
“I took the baby and I am sorry,” Amoore allegedly told detectives as she answered the door. “I got him, he’s right here.”
The baby was found inside the apartment uninjured and asleep in a car seat belonging to Amoore, according to the arrest affidavit.
Amoore told police that she had taken the baby in a rush of emotions caused by losing her own baby in February, according to the criminal complaint.
“I don’t know why I did it. I can’t explain it. I held him and all those feelings rushed back,” Amoore told detectives, according to the criminal complaint. “I just wanted my baby. It felt like I was holding my son again. It felt so good. I didn’t want to lose that feeling. I was crazy. I never intended to do anything like this.”
In court papers outlining Amoore’s potential insanity defense Steinberg wrote, “Defendant suffered from dissociative episode secondary to false pregnancy and subsequent depression.”