KILLEEN, Texas (KXXV) — Police are searching for a 33-year-old man accused of kidnapping a 2-year-old child from a home and assaulting the child's babysitter, authorities said Wednesday.
Audrea Jaron McCuin, who also goes by "Dre," faces charges of burglary of a habitation with intent to commit kidnapping, endangering a child and injury to a child in connection with the Oct. 11 incident, according to the Killeen Police Department.
Officers responded to a home in the 800 block of Oakhill Drive after receiving reports of a kidnapping. Police said McCuin unlawfully entered the residence while a family friend was babysitting the toddler.
The suspect placed the child in the front seat of a vehicle without a car seat, causing visible injuries, police said. When the babysitter tried to intervene, McCuin assaulted her before fleeing with the child, authorities said.
The babysitter immediately called 911 to report the kidnapping, police said.
Detectives with the Special Victims Unit identified McCuin as the suspect during their investigation. The Bell County District Attorney's Office issued complaints Nov. 6, and Justice of the Peace Cliff Coleman issued arrest warrants.
McCuin had previously been served with four misdemeanor warrants, including false report, assault bodily injury and interference with an emergency phone call, police said.
“I want to express my gratitude to each and every one of the officers on Patrol Nights, the sergeants, first responders, and our partners at Bell County Communications for the compassion and empathy they showed on scene, and for the thorough investigation that was conducted. Their professionalism, teamwork, and dedication made it possible to identify and charge the suspect responsible for this disturbing crime.”
Anyone with information about McCuin's whereabouts is asked to call Killeen Police at (254) 501-8830 or the Bell County Crime Stoppers at (254) 526-TIPS (8477).
Tips can also be submitted anonymously at bellcountycrimestoppers.com or through the P3Tips app.
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