Body of missing 2-year-old Pennsylvania girl found, police say Uber driver and toddler's father were lovers
PENN HILLS, PENNSYLVANIA: The body of a missing toddler from Pennsylvania who was reported missing over the weekend has been found. Authorities discovered the body of two-year-old Nalani Johnson at the Pine Ridge Park in Indiana County, very close to Pittsburgh.
We had earlier reported that an Uber driver was arrested in connection with the abduction of the two-year-old baby girl who claimed that the child was sold for $10,000 by her father.
According to the Allegheny County Police, the father of the toddler and the woman who was charged with kidnapping the child were said to be in a romantic relationship. A report by KDKA stated that the police filed kidnapping and related charges against 25-year-old Sharena Islam Nancy on September 2.
However, it is possible that further charges will be added given that the child's body has been found. Nancy has been charged with kidnapping of a minor, custodial interference and concealment of the whereabouts of a child so far.
Investigators revealed that after kidnapping Nalani, Nancy took her 2017 black Toyota Yaris and drove it 20 miles south along route 22 to Blairsville, Indiana County.
She was then stopped by a Penn Hills police officer at around 7.30 pm. On Tuesday afternoon's conference, investigators also shared that Nalani and her father, Paul Johnson were not in Nancy's vehicle for an Uber or Lyft ride.
"Sharena Nancy and Paul Johnson became acquainted intermittently over the last few months, so they were known to each other. They were friends. They were in the beginnings of an intermittent romantic relationship," authorities revealed.
Johnson's grandmother, however, has denied that he had any involvement in the case. Johnson had earlier told investigators that he along with a friend were in a car driven by Nancy on Saturday, August 31, evening. When he got out of the car and reached for Nalani, Nancy sped off, he alleged.
Following an Amber Alert, the car was located and Nancy was taken into custody but the child was not to be found.
Nancy claimed that the father "sold" the child for around $10,000 and according to his instructions, she gave the girl to another woman. She also claimed that she was told to drive 20 minutes from a Monroeville gas station.
According to Nancy, she saw a silver sports utility vehicle and handed the child to a woman standing outside the car. The police have shared that they found no evidence of a silver SUV in the area.
According to Nalani's grandmother, Taji Walsh, the allegations are false and shared that if the police thought the father was involved, "he wouldn't be walking freely - he'd be locked up like she is."