LIVONIA, Mich. – Two men have been sentenced for their role in a conspiracy to kidnap newborn baby twins from their mother in Livonia, which sparked an Amber Alert.
Curtis Lee Slay, 18, and Davion Demetrius Sherman Chandler, 20, are two of three people who were charged after two 14-day-old boys were taken from their mother at a Livonia hotel on Aug. 20, 2023.
Officials said Shantell Re-Azia Jones, 23, and a 16-year-old girl were at the hotel around 10:10 p.m. Aug. 20 with the babies and their mother when the mother stepped out briefly to get a drink from a vending machine.
Jones and the teenager are accused of kidnapping the babies while the mother was gone, officials said.
The mother called 911 and reported that her children were missing from the hotel. The abduction triggered an Amber Alert for the babies.
Police began to search for two women who were seen covering their faces on hotel surveillance footage. They were described as “friendly acquaintances” of the mother.
The babies were both handed over to Detroit police around 9:30 a.m. Aug. 21. They were not harmed, officials said.
Slay and Chandler were arrested Jones and the 16-year-old. Police said Jones befriended the mother, while Slay and Chandler helped with her plan to abduct the babies.
Slay, Jones, and Chandler were each charged with two counts of kidnapping -- child enticement, two counts of unlawful imprisonment, three counts of larceny in a building, and one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping -- child enticement.
Slay and Chandler both reached deals last month, pleading guilty to one count of unlawful imprisonment. The other charges against them were dropped.
Chandler was sentenced May 24, 2024, to 3-15 years in prison, with credit for 280 days of time served.
Slay received the same sentence on Friday.
A jury trial for Jones is scheduled for November.
