17-05-2025
Report reveals new details in Savannah kidnapping case
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — An incident report from Savannah Police Department (SPD) revealed new details related to the Thursday kidnapping of a toddler.
Three-year-old Leilani Elliot was reported 'found and safe' by SPD Friday morning. She was reported missing and in extreme danger Thursday morning.
Police told News 3, her mother, Jessy Elliot, took her without permission following a supervised visit at Bright House on Wheaton Street. The 32-year-old was arrested Friday morning in Camden County.
The toddler is in the foster care system. According to the report, the visit Thursday morning at the family support center was supervised. An employee was in a separate room of the home and was watching the mother and daughter through surveillance cameras, the report reads.
The employee told police they saw Jessy pick up her daughter in the living room, peak around the corner at the front door and walk out onto the porch. Jessy was then seen running with her daughter towards East Broad Street, according to SPD Sgt. Aaron Washington.
'[Jessy Elliot] had been speaking on what she was going to do, from neighbors and individuals that she had associated with,' Sgt. Washington said. 'You could tell she wanted to seize that opportunity and she did.'
The child was believed to be in extreme danger. Sgt. Washington says the Amber Alert was delayed due to the department not having the tag number of Elliot's Nissan Altima. That alert was sent out late Thursday afternoon.
Jail records show that Elliot has a criminal history with charges ranging from cruelty to children and drug possession. Police were able to return the child to her foster parents. Washington is grateful for this outcome.
'It's a big relief,' Sgt. Washington said.
News 3 was told Friday that the spokesperson for Brightside Child and Family Advocacy is out of town. Our staff reached out to the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS). We were sent the following statement, 'DHS/DFCS is bound by both state and federal law to protect the privacy of the people we serve. As such, we are unable to comment on the specifics of any child welfare cases.'
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