Kidnapping

was recovered by police at Amoore’s apartment.

Upper Merion police responded to the report of an infant abduction at 5:43 p.m. Thursday from the food court of the Plaza. When the baby was last seen, he was wearing a long-sleeve orange “onesie” with gray letters that read “Hanging with Daddy,” blue jeans and white socks.

Police reviewed video surveillance from the Plaza and observed the woman who took the child had long braided hair, dark pants, a horizontally striped shirt, a light-colored jacket and a large orange purse.

The mother of the infant told police she was shopping at the Plaza with other family members and her other, toddler son. The mother was approached by Amoore, who engaged them in conversation and asked how old the baby was. When the family walked away from a mall store, Amoore began to follow and engaged the mother in small talk, police said in the criminal complaint. Amoore followed them into the food court and sat at the same table.

While the mother was

helping her older son, Amoore asked if she could pick up the baby. The mother told her no and went back to helping the other children. The baby, identified in the Amber Alert as Ahsir Simmons, started to cry, and Amoore took him from his stroller and tried to console him. The mother said she was distracted by the children and looked away to reach into her diaper bag.

At that point, Amoore ran off with the baby and the mother chased after her, police said. The mother was unable to find Amoore and asked people to call 911, because “someone just took my baby.”

Investigators believed that Amoore left the Plaza with the baby and drove a 2010 silver Nissan Altima back to her Tredyffrin apartment.

At about 10:18 p.m., Thursday, investigators went to Amoore’s residence and knocked on the door. Amoore answered and said, “I took the baby and I am sorry,” according to the criminal complaint.

During an interview with Upper Merion police Detective Robert Smull and Montgomery County Detective James Reape, Amoore said that when she asked to hold the baby, “that is when it all went wrong.”

“I just got up and walked away. I remember walking.

It was like an out-of-body experience,” Amoore said. “I didn’t go there to steal a baby. I can’t wrap my own mind around this. I am really sorry for what I did.”

Amoore told the detectives she had given birth to a boy on Feb. 11, but the baby only lived for a few hours and she never told anyone he had died.

Upper Merion police Chief Thomas Nolan said police had not yet confirmed whether Amoore had given birth to a child in February. He said in a press conference after the arraignment that the investigation was continuing and that investigators had not yet reviewed Amoore’smedical records.

“Amoore’s family has been cooperating with the investigation,” Nolan said. “There were a lot of tips received by the police department that helped us identify Amoore.”

Amoore is the daughter of Renee Amoore, president of the Amoore Group Inc. of Upper Merion and deputy chairwoman of the Pennsylvania Republican Party.

During a search of Amoore’s car, police found the baby’s blue jeans and orange “onesie” inside the large orange purse.

“I don’t know why I did it. I can’t explain it. I held him and all those feelings rushed back,” Amoore told police, 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.”

Amoore was represented at the arraignment by attorneys Greg Nester and William Reilly of the Montgomery County Public Defender’s Office. She appeared in court wearing a red-hooded sweatshirt over her head and red pants. At the beginning of the 15-minute proceeding she sobbed whileMaruszczak read the charges and asked if she understood them.

Before Maruszczak cleared the courtroom of reporters so Amoore could talk privately with her family, Maruszczak said, “Good luck to you.”

Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Brianna Ringwood will prosecute the case, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said in a press release.

“It is every parent’s worst nightmare,” Steele said. “We are very grateful that the baby was found quickly and returned safely to his family.” Contact Carl Rotenberg at 267-907-6137 (c) and 484

679-8476.