LAURYN DICKENS - 9 Months (2010) - Memphis TN

A woman admitted to Memphis Police she gave her missing 10-month-old baby girl to a total stranger.
Police issued a city watch alert for Lauryn Dickens Friday as they tried to determine if the mother's story was true.
Dickens' mother claimed she handed the child over to a stranger 10 days ago at her apartment in Raleigh. She told the woman who took the baby told her she was a friend of the baby's father.
Investigators determined the baby's father is actually in jail. He denied knowing anything about his daughter's disappearance.
Neighbors said they have not heard anything from the mother and wondered why she waited so long to call police.
"I would be going crazy right about now if that was my kid," said neighbor Nija Scott. "And I would have been put out from the get go, especially if I didn't know this woman. I would be hysterical."
The child's mother did not answer her door after an initial conversation.
Police have not issued an AMBER Alert, presumably because the mother handed over the baby. She claims the woman who took Lauryn Dickens was in her 40s with gray hair and glasses.

OMG... another "mystery babysitter".

TomTerrific0420 wrote:OMG... another "mystery babysitter".

Where have we heard this before????

If this mother made up this story because she believes Casey will get away with it, we've got news for her.

Memphis police continue their search for a 10-month-old baby who has been missing since Sept. 7th.



Investigators issued a "city watch" Friday for 10-month-old Lauryn Dickens, who was last seen wearing a brown onesie with a pink flower and pink dots. The child’s mother told police she gave the baby to a woman who claimed to be a friend of the missing child’s father. The father is in jail, and told police he does not know anything about this case.

The news spread quickly among neighbors in the Raleigh apartment complex where Lauryn and her mother lived.

“She's a cute baby, she doesn't need to be missing,” said Kathey Smith, who said her sister told her about the missing child. “This sounds suspicious. It’s kind of far-fetched.”

Police said Lauryn’s mother said the child was last seen with a white female between 40 and 50 years old. The mother claimed the woman had gray, shoulder-length hair, and wore glasses along with a white blouse and khaki pants and sandals.

While investigators try to figure out what's true, neighbors do the same.

“If that was my baby I'd do everything I could trying to find it,” Smith said.

Endangered Missing

LAURYN DICKENS DOB: Nov 24, 2009 Missing: Sep 7, 2010 Height: 1'9" (53 cm) Eyes: Brown Race: Black Age Now: 9 Month(s) Sex: Female Weight: 17 lbs (8 kg) Hair: Black Missing From: MEMPHIS TN United States Lauryn was last seen September 7, 2010. She may be in the company of an adult female. Lauryn was last seen wearing a brown onesie with a pink flower and pink dots. She has a skin rash on both forearms and inner knees.

ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST) Memphis Police Department (Tennessee) 1-901-545-2677

Why they haven't arrested and charged the mother with neglect like they did with Casey and Gabriel Johnson's mother?

Memphis Father of Missing 10-Month Baby May Know her Whereabouts

MEMPHIS, TN -- Memphis police said the father of 10-month old Lauryn Dickens may know where she is. The baby has been missing since September 7th. Investigators issued a "City Watch Alert" Friday, September 17 for 10-month-old Lauryn Dickens, who was last seen wearing a brown onesie with a pink flower and pink dots.

Police are questioning family members, friends, and neighbors for clues about where the baby could be.

It's been two weeks since Lauryn Dickens has been missing. But her mother, Shakara Dickens, waited 10 days to report her daughter missing, after she gave her baby to a complete stranger. Police said their number one concern is the safety of that baby and time may be running out.

"Makes me want to cry looking at her going missing like that," said a neighbor.

The search started at the Raleigh Apartment complex. Amber Alerts are only issued when a child is abducted and is in imminent danger. So far there's no evidence that could lead police to believe the child is in harms way. But Eyewitness News spoke with the Commission on Missing and Exploited Children (COMEC) and said the child could be in danger without the police even knowing it.

Neighbors are still angry and they want to know why her mother took so long to report her baby missing.

"She's a cute baby, she doesn't need to be missing, she needs to be found," neighbor Kathey Smith said.

Every day and every hour counts as police try to figure out where the baby girl may be. Lauryn's mother wanted the child's father to help care for her, but he's in jail. Police said that's when the white female came to the mother's house and gave the baby away, no questions asked, thinking it was someone the father knew.

Police said the baby girl may be with a Caucasian woman in her mid-40's with shoulder-length gray hair. She was wearing glasses, a white blouse, khaki pants and sandals.

If you have any information about where they could be call Crime Stoppers at (901) 528-CASH.
http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/news/local/story/Memphis-Father-of-Missing-10-Month-Baby-May-Know/aoyFBI0FeECFZkSeJXagPQ.cspx

The mother of a missing 9 month old girl is behind bars.
Shakara Dickens is being held as police investigate possible charges of aggravated child neglect and endangerment.
Investigators arrested Dickens because they say she has given "conflicting statements about the disappearance of her daughter," Lauryn.
The arrest came after police spent the day at the 19-year-old mother's Raleigh Village Apartment.
Neighbors watched as investigators pulled little Lauryn's car seat and walker from her mother's home. One officer walked out with a brown paper bag with something inside. Police even searched using cadaver dogs.
Seeing all the officers and the Crime Scene Investigator's car has Jameka Branch thinking the worst.
"It probably happened up there," she said pointing to Shakara's apartment. "Why do crime scene?" After pausing she finished, saying "they don't be around unless it's a crime scene."
According to police records on September 15 , 2010 Shakara reported her daughter missing.
That's a whole week after she claims she gave her daughter to a stranger.
According to police, on September 7th, 2010 Dickens says she gave her daughter to a woman who showed up at her Raleigh apartment. Dickens told police "she did not know the female and didn't ask for her name or phone number."
It's also been reported Shakara told police the stranger identified herself as a friend of the baby's father who's in jail. Investigators say the father's denied having anything to do with his daughter's disappearance.
"It's too many lies around here," said neighbor Laquisha Branch. "She's showing no remorse. If it was me I would be out here pulling strings of hair...looking for mine."
Whether Shakara's story is true or not, people are just hoping police find little Lauryn alive.
Homicide detectives are now involved in this investigation.

she has given "conflicting statements about the disappearance of her daughter," Lauryn.

--- Sound familiar?

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/sep/21/memphis-police-investigating-disappearance-10-mont/

comments are flying from locals?

i hate to say it, but i hope they searched the dumpsters around that area and the landfill. ugh

This is so similar it's creepy. I sure hope they searched the dumpsters too. I wonder if she had a car.

Mother of missing girl detained, not charged

Posted: Sep 23, 2010 8:51



MEMPHIS, TN (WMC-TV) - Memphis Police described the investigation into a missing nine-month-old girl as a missing persons case and said no charges had been filed.

Lauryn Dickens' whereabouts were still a mystery Wednesday, two weeks after her she was reported missing by her mother, Shakara Dickens.

Shakara Dickens is locked up at 201 Poplar. Although the jail manifest lists a charge of aggravated child abuse, police said she is merely being detained and has not been officially charged with a crime.

Dickens reported her daughter missing eight days after she said she willingly gave the baby to a middle-aged white woman. The hand-off was allegedly set up by the baby's father, Benjamin Norfleet.

Norfleet, 19, has been in jail since late June. He is a convicted felon with a long history of arrests, including three different drug-related charges, criminal trespassing, and at least eight car break-ins.

Action News 5 stopped by Norfleet's listed address in Collierville, but no one answered the door.

A request with the sheriff's office to interview Norfleet about his missing daughter was denied when homicide investigators told the sheriff's office Norfleet is, "still the subject of an active investigation and can't make a comment at this time."

No one answered the door at two different listed addresses for Shakara Dickens.http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13200398

"Norfleet, 19, has been in jail since late June. He is a convicted felon with a long history of arrests, including three different drug-related charges, criminal trespassing, and at least eight car break-ins."

So this is my question. Why are they allowed to keep their babies in the first place? Daddy's in jail and Mommy's a druggy and a thief too and only 19 years old, and yet she was allowed to take the baby out of the hospital to suffer whatever her pitiful life was destined to be. If you want to adopt a child you have to go through the most rigorous vetting but because someone is related biologically it doesn't matter?
We have to stop 'protection of children by crisis' and deal with the problem long before there is a crisis.

'protection of children by crisis'

---Loves it! What a great phrase Kiwi! That's what is going on here.
It's the same with dangerous intersections. Everybody knows there's gonna be a terrible accident soon but the stoplight isn't installed until after the bus carrying the seniors collides with the tanker truck filled with fuel.

MEMPHIS, TN (WMC-TV) - A Memphis mother was hauled off to jail Wednesday in handcuffs and a jumpsuit after being questioned about her missing nine-month-old daughter.

Shakara Dickens, 19, exited 201 Poplar in handcuffs. She was brought down from the homicide office, where she had been under intense questioning regarding the disappearance of her daughter, Lauryn Dickens.

Dickens was arrested Tuesday night and is being held on aggravated child abuse charges, although she has yet to be officially charged. She has reportedly provided conflicting stories to police, who have until Thursday night to hold her until charges are filed.

Homicide detectives and a cadaver dog searched Dickens' Raleigh apartment Tuesday, days after she told police she gave her daughter to a total stranger.

As she exited 201 Poplar, Dickens refused to answer any questions.

More here: http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13200398

Memphis Police Director Can't Confirm If Child Is Alive

Danya Bacchus

FAST FACTS:

• Mother Of Missing Baby Still Behind Bars
  
• Being Held On 48 Hour Hold For Aggravated Child Neglect
  
• Police Director Godwin Can't Confirm If Child Is Alive
  

danya.bacchus@wreg.com

(Memphis 09/22/2010 ) Nine month old Lauryn Dickens has been missing for weeks. Police can't confirm her mother, Shakara Dickens, story that she gave the baby girl to a person she didn't know. It all equals to a bad feeling for Memphis' top cop.

"I hope I'm wrong on this one and we find the child safely," said Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin.

Shakara Dickens is behind bars. She has not been charged but police have her on a 48-hour hold for aggravated child neglect and endangerment. They say she gave conflicting statements about her daughter's disappearance. According to police records, Dickens told police she gave her daughter to a stranger on September 7th. she says the woman claimed to be a friend of her daughter's father, 19-year old Benjamin Norfleet. He's behind bars for breaking into cars. Director Godwin says time isn't on their side because the mother waited 8 days before reporting the disappearance to police.

"When it's nine days old you've eliminated an Amber Alert and fresh tracks. If she gave the child to someone where did they go?" said Godwin.

Now, Godwin says they are left to rely on clues, possibly found from a car seat and walker, pulled from Dickens' Raleigh Village apartment. It is the last place little Lauryn was seen.

"Were going to take those things send those off just to make sure that something didn't happen and it was cleaned up."

Shakara Dickens can be held until 5:30pm Thursday under the 48 hour hold.

We tried to talk to both grandmothers of the baby Lauryn, they declined to comment.

http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-lauryn-dickens-godwin,0,7194158.story?track=rss

Lauryn Dickens: Missing two weeks unreported

Posted on September 22nd, 2010 by Valhall

http://www.thehinkymeter.com/2010/09/22/lauryn-dickens-missing-two-weeks-unreported/

http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-lauryn-dickens-godwin,0,7194158.story?track=rss

Memphis Police Director Can't Confirm If Child Is Alive

Danya Bacchus
snipped
FAST FACTS:

* Mother Of Missing Baby Still Behind Bars
* Being Held On 48 Hour Hold For Aggravated Child Neglect
* Police Director Godwin Can't Confirm If Child Is Alive

danya.bacchus@wreg.com

http://interceder.net/list/lauryn-dickens

The investigation continues as Memphis Police search for clues into what happened to 10-month old Lauryn Dickens. The child disappeared earlier this month when her mother Shakara Dickens told police she gave the baby to a friend of the father. As the search for 10-month old Lauryn Dickens continues, neighbors say Shakara Dickens' story doesn't add up. "It didn't make any sense to me, it really didn't." Missing since September 7th, Dickens told police a white woman between 40 and 50 years old with gray hair wearing glasses came to the Raleigh Village Apartments to pick up the baby. The unidentified woman allegedly told Dickens she was friends with the baby's father. Dickens told police she gave the baby to the woman. Tuesday evening investigators and a cadaver dog searched the Raleigh Village Apartment complex unit where the baby was allegedly last seen. Detectives took bags of evidence, baby toys and an infant's car seat. Wednesday, Shakara Dickens was in police custody on an investigative detention, a 48-hour hold for child neglect. Shakara Dickens has not been formally charged.

Another similarity to Casey's story - the person who supposedly took the child didn't need the car seat.

Charges to be filed against mother of missing 9-month-old girl

Posted: Sep 24, 2010 9:42 AM

MEMPHIS, TN (WMC-TV) - Police searched another home Thursday, looking for anything that might lead them to a missing nine-month-old girl.

Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin said the Lauryn Dickens mother, Shakara Dickens, will be charged Thursday night. She has been in police custody but not charged since late Tuesday afternoon.

Crime Scene and Homicide investigators went back and forth with an assembly line of evidence at a home on West Hickory Bluff.

The address is associated with Shakara Dickens. Her daughter, Lauryn Dickens, has been missing since September 7. Eight days later, Shakara Dickens called police for the first time and told investigators she gave the baby to a middle-aged white woman.

As of Thursday, Dickens had been in jail on a 48-hour investigative hold. She faces criminal charges in this case.

"We will formally charge her," said Godwin. "She will not be going home tonight."

Godwin said Lauryn Dickens' whereabouts are a complete mystery and her safety is unknown.

"My gut tells me that it's not good," Godwin said. "I hope that I'm wrong."

On West Hickory Bluff, neighbors watched in disbelief as investigators searched for clues in an attempt to close the case.

"It's a shock," said neighbor James Seiber.

Investigators are working with the District Attorney's Office to determine what exactly the charges will be.

Stay with Action News 5 and WMCTV.com for updates on this developing story.http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13208034

Memphis police expect to file charges against mother of missing baby


Memphis police are working with the Shelby County District Attorney’s office tonight to determine what charges to file against Shakara Dickens, mother of the missing 10-month-old girl Lauryn Dickens.Charges are expected to be filed before Dickens’ 48-hour investigative hold ends around 6 p.m., MPD spokesman Karen Rudolph said.Police also confirmed that a cadaver dog registered the odor of human remains in the yard of the mother's apartment. But upon digging, police found no body.Dickens, 19, reported her daughter missing on Sept. 15, telling police that she had given the child on Sept. 7 to a woman she did not know.Homicide investigators on Tuesday searched Dickens’ residence at the Raleigh Village Apartments, 4992 Yale.http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/sep/23/police-expect-file-charges-against-mother-missing/

Remains Detected In Missing Child's Home; Mother To Be Charged
By Danya Bacchus
Story posted 2010.09.23 at 05:52 PM CDT


News Channel 3 has been told Memphis Police expect to file charges against Shakara Dickens today.
We've also learned a cadaver dog detected the scent of a dead body inside the missing child's apartment during a search Tuesday.
According to an affidavit, "...the dog indicated a positive alert at 4992 Yale #8. This is the last known location where Lauryn Dickens was seen alive."
Click HERE To read the Shakara Dickens Affidavit.
Dickens is the woman who reportedly handed her child to a stranger then waited a week to report the child missing.http://www.localwireless.com/wap/news/text.jsp?sid=46&nid=22770901&cid=5172

oviedo45 wrote:http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/sep/21/memphis-police-investigating-disappearance-10-mont/

comments are flying from locals?

i hate to say it, but i hope they searched the dumpsters around that area and the landfill. ugh

well now that we have dogs alerting - i sure hope they searched the dumpsters - i am afraid we have yet another situation of a baby being thrown out like trash. ......

oviedo45 wrote:

oviedo45 wrote:http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/sep/21/memphis-police-investigating-disappearance-10-mont/

comments are flying from locals?

i hate to say it, but i hope they searched the dumpsters around that area and the landfill. ugh

well now that we have dogs alerting - i sure hope they searched the dumpsters - i am afraid we have yet another situation of a baby being thrown out like trash. ......

I agree Ovie. I hope they take all the trash bags from the apartment so they can make a match later if that's the case.