2 teens charged with aiding in kidnapping

Two teenagers rode with a McKeesport man as he abducted his 1-year-old baby and the mother of the child on Wednesday, then left the woman with the man shortly before he shot himself, according to police.

Authorities filed kidnapping and other charges against the two teens for their roles in the incident that ended around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday in Swissvale when Andre Williams Jr., 20, shot and killed himself inside an SUV as police closed in.

About two hours earlier, Mr. Williams broke into the woman’s home in Homewood, found her hiding behind a dresser and forced her and the baby out of the house and into the SUV at gunpoint, according to a criminal complaint.

A witness saw the 19year-old woman as she was forced into the SUV and called 911.

Zanaya McKenzie, 17, and D’Ambrosse Garland, 17, were inside the SUV when the woman climbed inside, according to a criminal complaint. The 19-yearold woman and child have not been identified out of concern for their safety, according to the complaint.

As Mr. Williams drove the SUV to a home in Swissvale, he told the woman that she was going to die and Mr. Garland started to sing about it, repeating, “You’re about to die,” over and over, according to the criminal complaint.

Mr. Williams eventually parked outside his cousin’s home on Highland Avenue. The two teenagers then left the SUV and went into the house, according to the complaint. Mr. Williams climbed into the back seat with the woman and baby.

Swissvale police discovered the SUV parked outside the home around 4:30 a.m., with Mr. Williams, the woman and the baby all sitting in the back seat.

Allegheny County Police Superintendent Coleman McDonough said officers approached the SUV and tried to negotiate with Mr. Williams. But Mr. Williams would not respond or show his hands, he said.

Officers shattered the SUV’s rear window. At almost the same time, Superintendent McDonough said, Mr. Williams shot himself in the head.

He was pronounced dead at 4:47 a.m. The woman and baby were not hurt.

Police found Mr. Garland and Ms. McKenzie inside the home on Highland Avenue. Both admitted to being in the SUV during the kidnapping, according to a criminal complaint. It’s not clear why the two teenagers accompanied Mr. Williams.

The teenagers are charged with kidnapping, kidnapping a minor and criminal conspiracy. Mr. Garland also was charged with drug possession and intent to distribute after investigators discovered 12 stamp bags of heroin in his pocket, according to the complaint.

Both 17-year-olds are charged as adults. They are scheduled to appear for preliminary hearings on April 12.