Teens' Kidnap-Fetus Plot Foiled

2 Missouri Teens Charged With Kidnapping Woman They Met On MySpace In Attempt To Take Unborn Child

(AP)  Two teenagers kidnapped a pregnant woman they met online and took her to a motel in an effort to take her baby, authorities said. The plan was foiled when one of the teens got scared and called police.

Prosecutors say Alisa D. Betts, 17, and Lauren M. Gash, 19, kidnapped Amanda Howard, 18. Gash, of Odessa, and Betts, of Atchison, Kan., were arraigned on felony kidnapping charges Tuesday. Gash also was charged with assault.

Police believe the suspects lured Howard into a car Monday, sprayed her with Mace and bound her with tape, according to the complaint from the Jackson County prosecutor's office.

Gash and Betts are accused of then driving the victim to a motel in Blue Springs, a Kansas City suburb. The complaint said Gash sat on Howard's abdomen and twisted her neck back and forth, "a substantial step toward" trying to "kill or cause serious physical injury" to Howard.

Betts apparently "started to get cold feet and exited the room and called police," said Detective Troy Pharr of the Blue Springs Police Department.

The three women met on MySpace.com, a social networking Web site, Pharr said.

Bond was set at $500,000 for Betts and $750,000 for Gash, who were being held in the Jackson County jail.

It was unclear Tuesday evening whether Gash and Betts had lawyers. The Jackson County Sheriff's Department said the women were in transit.

[finewoven]

In Kansas, that Intelligent Design material didn't explain that killing a pregnant girl to take her unborn fetus wouldn't work. Actually, this whole situation is lacking any intelligence whatsoever. Getting knocked-up isn't what it used to be.

[theusa1st]

So, the pregnant girl, 18, was a "woman", while the two assailants, 17 & 19, were "teenagers"? Sorry liberal press. Always trying to make the criminal into a victim.

They were trying to break the expectant mother's neck? Up the creek for them.

I hope the young lady is okay and the baby fares well.
Posted by Hwy71So at 11:00 AM : Aug 02, 2007

good catch...

I got a rope and strong tree...let's get rid of them and spend our money on something good instead of something evil.

[hwy71so]

So, the pregnant girl, 18, was a "woman", while the two assailants, 17 & 19, were "teenagers"? Sorry liberal press. Always trying to make the criminal into a victim.

They were trying to break the expectant mother's neck? Up the creek for them.

I hope the young lady is okay and the baby fares well.

[jjarden]

Give me one GOOD Reason why they shouldn't be Shot by a Firing Squad...Just ONE.

[toldyouso21]

MySpace sounds like a great place to meet your future robber, rapist, or murderer.
Posted by incog-nito at 04:35 PM : Aug 01, 2007


I agree. Then it is augmented by "MyDeathSpace" which then can chronicle the events of the murder, rapes and robberies and make the MySpace victim famous. (not that they will ever get any benefit from that fame)

Sort of suspiscious isn't it. Sort of like Pharmaceutical companies, advertising for drugs people don't really need, and then mysteriously--the drugs are either addictive or help to create a circumstance where they must be taken for life--talk about making captive consumers.

[toldyouso21]

This is soooo sick. At the same time, the police need to reconsider their charges. because if it was not for one of the kidnappers and her recanting and calling the police, the result could have been the death of 2 people, while police searched everywhere for the perp (who they probably would have assumed was male and the father of the child)

There a lots of lessons here:

1. for women and young teens--you don't know who you are hooking up with from the internet--NOT the best way to meet or get to know people. From rape to becoming a party to a crime, interactions with unknowns can elicit dire consequences. If you meet people online, take the time to really find out about them for months before trusting them.

2. Never go anywhere with people you don't know. Never hook up with people you don't know except in very public places, drive your own car and bring back up

3. Never believe what people write about themselves on the internet. An 18 year old girl communicating with other female strangers, could just as easily have been shocked to learn her new "girlfriends" were 45 year old male thugs.

[rushman71]

ToolMangler: what are you talking aboot, I'm no Canuck, ehh!!! LOL!!!

[toolmangler-2009]

US population 301,139,947

Canada.
Population: 33,390,141 (July 2007 est.)

Canadian citizens in the US. 270,432,675

[billpl-2009]

"What is it with America? Where I live, we [blah,blah...]"
Posted by erasmus6

Just stop reading the news.
It will ALL go away
I promise

[toolmangler-2009]

Looks to me as though Canada is keeping its Prisons clean by dumping them over the border into the US.

[jasbek]

Oh, it happens everywhere. The American media is just sick enough to tell us every single disgusting detail. Thats the difference.

[erasmus6]

What is it with America? Where I live, we can go months and years without hearing this kind of c-r-a-p. But in America, it is practically on a daily basis. There was the people keeping kids in cages, then in the last few weeks it has been kids in handcuffs, infants found dead at that womens home, Phoenix man accused of choking his 3 year old granddaughter, children stabbed to death in Boston Home, Doc hastening deaths for organs, Boss kills workers asking for raises.....it's neverending!

[billpl-2009]

kailumego1, think of it this way.

We could do like they do in places like Iran, Pakistan and the like..
Where it's been known to happen.
A woman gets raped, so they just stone her to death and pardon the rapist.
Needless to say kids don't dare mess around there like they do here
there they call it "honor"
What would you call it?

besides, since when has stupidity been surprising

[nsane4fab4]

Teenagers! To all parents: NURTURE your children! Be there for them and love them. You can see what could happen if you don't! They end up like these 2!

[kailumego1]

Of all the sick, twisted and disgusting acts, how mentally demented and deranged can two individuals be to conjure up such a diabolical/ perverted plan.

Has this world gone absolutely MAD and are people so apathetic towards each other that a human life means absolutely nothing??

One straps herself on her abdomen while the other twisted her neck back and forth, to snap her brain stem, and then what, a half-as[s] surgical removal of the fetus.

Who raises their children to be so INSANE???

I'm curious, from what environment did these sub-human teenagers come, sadistic perversion, psychopathic murderers, sexual abuse, what??????

Is what America's breeding is sadistic child murderers, misogynistic pimps, animal brutalizers, spousal decapitators and mutilators, etc. etc.?????

[incog-nito]

MySpace sounds like a great place to meet your future robber, rapist, or murderer.

[billpl-2009]

"sat on Howard's abdomen and twisted her neck back and forth, "

what did they think she was?
a tube of toothpaste?
squeeze the kid out of her?
LOL

------------------------------
yeah, yeah I know that was a sick thing to say
...but jeeze, these 2 girls are stupid

[epeales]

If you can imagine it happening, it will! Best that your awareness is up! Is yours? Which way will you choose? If your faith is where it should be, you know you don't have to worry! Just stay aware of the people in your surroundings!!!

[agnim]

Drugs are mothering America's children while the foolish females continue to neglect their motherly obligation.

How else can on explain such bizarre actions from young minds, except lack of affectionate parenting and DRUGS!

[taddles-2009]

What part of a persons brains has to be so damaged that they would even come up with a plan like this?