A mum has told of her terror after teenagers plotted to kidnap her baby son.
The evil pair were trying to snatch babies for one of them to pass off as her own.
The Huddersfield mum, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was one of three women who fell victim to an online scam by Holly Kelland, 18, from Northamptonshire, and Codie Farrar, 17, from Worcestershire, who were locked up on Friday for the plot.
The pair used a bogus Facebook account to gain details of new mothers across the country.
Police believe Kelland wanted to pass off the baby as her own, claiming she was pregnant.
In an exclusive interview with the Examiner, the victim said: “I was contacted on Facebook in September by this girl called Clare Farrant.
“She said she had free baby clothes and asked if I was interested. At first I said yes, but then she started asking for my address and about my baby’s weight and age.
“I asked why she needed to know and she said it was for ‘future reference’ if she got any more stock in.”
The mum didn’t hear anything else of the matter until she was later called by Det Sgt Duncan Gouck, from Derbyshire Police.
He told her the messages were part of a scam being investigated after Farrar visited the home of a mum in Derby posing as a social worker.
The mother, who had also been contacted by the false Facebook account, became suspicious after Farrar asked to take the infant away for a medical check.
“I was absolutely horrified when I got the call”, said the Huddersfield mum. “I broke down in tears. It just doesn’t bear thinking about.”
Kelland and Farrar each received 12 months detention at a Young Offenders’ Institute and training orders after pleading guilty to conspiring to kidnap at Derby Youth Court.
The plot involved the babies in Huddersfield and Derby, as well as a third child in Wolverhampton.
The court heard how following her arrest Kelland had told police she was pregnant and had had a scan, which turned out to be a generic scan printed off the internet.
Messages exchanged between the pair also revealed Kelland had said: “Don’t feel like baby chasing today.”
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
The victim added: “I was disgusted with the sentences, they should have got a lot longer.
“I’ve found it really hard to trust people since then, especially online. I just want people to be more aware of people you don’t know contacting you on Facebook.”
