UK Single Mother Jailed For Baby Kidnapping

Kelly Mahon, a 41-year-old woman from the UK, was jailed today for kidnapping a nine-week-old baby boy to convince her boyfriend she had given birth to his child.

According to Daily Mail, Mahon was jailed at Shrewsbury Crown Court after pleading guilty to kidnapping by force or by fraud.

She decided to abduct two babies after she told her on-off partner, 35-year-old Dwight Dennis, that she was expecting twins in an attempt to save their eight-year affair. Mahon then rigged two pregnancy tests and obtained two fake baby scans.

The single mother also tricked her 17-year-old daughter into believing she was pregnant and often told her partner to feel her stomach and touch the babies. She began stalking a heavily pregnant mother and put her plans in motion nine weeks after the woman gave birth in February, a source told the court.

It was revealed to the court that Mahon was sterilised at the age of 24 but never told Dennis because she knew how badly he wanted children and his wife was unable to have any. She carefully chose her victim after having a conversation with her at a bus stop.

Three days after her fake due date, Mahon appeared at the victim’s doorstep, saying that the woman’s husband had been run over by a car and was lying unconscious in the street. She offered to look after her baby while his worried mother rushed to help her husband. The woman soon realised that there was no accident and she returned home to find that Mahon had abducted her baby.

Fortunately, the baby was found safe three hours later at Mahon’s home less than a mile away, after a nationwide police hunt was launched.

The prosecuting lawyer, Nigel Stelling, said, “When officers searched the home they found a children’s nursery containing two cots, baby clothes for girls and boys and an abduction ‘to-do’ list which made reference to nappies, sterilisers and milk.”

Judge James Tindal, who sentenced Mahon, said, “You probably rather enjoyed the attention you got from friends and family from telling them you were pregnant.”

“As a parent myself I can’t begin to imagine the terror you caused this couple. I recoil in horror from what you did. It was an incredibly selfish act.

He further said, “You have a daughter who needs you but you were so wrapped up in your own obsessions that you rather forgot about her. The baby’s parents will remain scarred for the rest of their lives.”

In a statement, the child’s parents said, “Our son is a beautiful, healthy and happy boy. He is very loving and is developing a distinct personality of his own. We cannot express our delight and utter relief that he was returned to us safe and well. 

“When we realised he was gone, we have never felt an emotion like it before. We hope no parents ever feel the way I felt that day. What happened is every parent’s worst nightmare and the reality is worse than you can ever imagine.

“We are glad everything is over and resolved. We want to get back to normal and be together as a family. We are looking forward to moving on.”

Photo credit: BBC News