Pierce County Sheriff's Department/FacebookA woman has been arrested after allegedly posing as a photographer and drugging a mother in an attempt to steal her baby.
Police seized Juliette Parker, 38, and her 16-year-old daughter at their home in Spanaway, Washington, on Friday, February 14, following reports they had given the mother a cupcake laced with drugs.
The female victim, who has not been named, called the emergency services on the night of February 5 to request medical aid when she began vomiting and feeling numb and drowsy. After being treated at a hospital, the mother contacted Pierce County Sheriff’s Department to file a police report against Parker.
Have you been contacted online by this woman to take photos of your baby? If so, our detectives want to talk to you. Today we arrested her for posing online as a newborn photographer & reportedly drugging a woman in an attempt to steal her baby. Details: https://t.co/oMBScoXwz2 pic.twitter.com/HRgXvTMgMu
— Pierce Co Sheriff (@PierceSheriff) February 15, 2020
Parker ran for mayor in Colorado Springs in 2019, and the victim alleged she met the 38-year-old through a post on a newborn baby group on Facebook, where the suspect had advertised to take free photos of newborn babies so she could ‘build her portfolio’.
The mother agreed to have Parker come to her home on three occasions to take pictures of her young child.
During the third visit, Parker brought her daughter to the house, and the pair gave the mother a cupcake. The victim immediately began feeling drowsy after eating it, so she told the two women to leave.
After they left, the mother realised Parker had stolen her house keys. Police launched an investigation and donated money to purchase new locks and window guards for the victim.
Big thank you to Tacoma Pierce Co. Crime Stoppers for purchasing new door locks & window guards for our victim's residence, Ralph at Home Depot for the great customer service to quickly cut door blocks, & to our deputies for volunteering to do the install during their lunchbreak. pic.twitter.com/qoGtl3F8zb
— Pierce Co Sheriff (@PierceSheriff) February 15, 2020
The victim allegedly witnessed Parker taking selfies with the her baby, and wiping her fingerprints off items she touched inside the home.
In a Facebook post, Pierce County Sheriff’s Department explained its ‘tireless’ investigation included conducting multiple interviews and obtaining several search warrants, and ultimately ‘garnered evidence that indicate[s] that the suspect was planning to steal a newborn baby to raise as her own’.
Parker was arrested on multiple felony charges, including assault and attempted kidnapping, and was booked into the Pierce County Jail. She was released on Sunday, February 16, after posting $50,000 bail, KXLY News reports.
Suspect Juliette Parker, AKA Juliette Noel, Juliette Gaines. Our deputies booked her for Assault 2nd degree & Attempted Kidnapping. We are being contacted by multiple expectant mothers & mothers of newborns who were in communication with her. Please call us if you have any info. pic.twitter.com/l7OqPyUUvl
— Pierce Co Sheriff (@PierceSheriff) February 16, 2020
The 16-year-old daughter also faces multiple felony charges, according to police.
The Pierce County investigation is said to have ‘identified additional victims’, and detectives are urging anyone who has been in touch with Parker to contact the police department. She is also said to have gone by ‘Juliette Noel’ and ‘Juliette Gains’.
Anyone who believes they are a victim of Parker can call detectives on 253-798-7724, or send the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office a private message online.
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.