Househelp Who Kidnapped 2 Children in Lagos Was Hired Online Just A Few Days Before

Actress Kate Henshaw was the first to draw the attention of members of the public to the abduction of the two children above who she said were kidnapped from their home by the family househelp. She asked for help in locating the children, posting,

“Please help spread the news. My nephews (Rafael and Michael) have been missing since yesterday. These boys have been kidnapped! Lord locate them and bring them home safe and sound. Their parents left them at home briefly with the housemaid, grandmother and a nurse. The maid ran away with the children when the grandmother and the nurse went to bed. When the parents returned home, the children and maid were gone.”

Now, more details have emerged on the housemaid, identified simply as Juliet, who allegedly abducted the two children of her bosses who live on Gateway Crescent in the Magodo, Isheri area of Lagos State. She was said to have been employed via online site, OLX.

According to Punch, the 24-year-old housemaid was said to have fled home with the kids, Rafael (3), and 15-month-old Michael, on Sunday evening after their parents went out around 6pm.

The kids’ mother, Mrs. Onajite Esharegharan, and her husband, Elvis, had decided to go for a shopping trip on the fateful day in celebration of the latter’s birthday. The couple had instructed Juliet, who hails from Osun State, to lull the kids to sleep before they left home.

Juliet, the children, their grandmother and her nurse ─ who also lives in the house ─ were in the sitting room watching television, when the generator went off. It was said that the elderly woman and the nurse decided to retire to their respective rooms, while Juliet went upstairs with the children.

It was when the couple came back home that the household discovered that the housemaid had sneaked out with the children.

It was gathered that Onajite secured the service of the fleeing housemaid last Tuesday through a sales portal, OLX, where a user, identified simply as Omolade, advertised her services.

Omolade had allegedly posted a number on the website for those who were interested in a “humble” housemaid to apply ─ an advertisement to which Onajite responded. It was learnt that Omolade eventually took Juliet to Onajite’s office.

Asked how they realized the children were gone, Onajite said,

"We got back home at 9pm. It was Abigail, the nurse, that opened the door for us. When we entered, everywhere was quiet and that was when my husband became suspicious because usually, our children would have run from upstairs to say welcome.She probably deceived the kids that she was taking them to their mum. Her telephone line and that of Omolade have been switched off since yesterday (Sunday). We lodged complaints at the Isheri Police Station and the Department of State Service. The police said it was beyond their capacity, but the DSS promised to track the housemaid down."

Her husband and the father of the children, Elvis, a businessman, said,

“We just hope nothing is going to happen to them. We do not have any specific suspicion as to where she took them to."

Onajite’s aunt, Mrs. Tina Obajuwana, said she was amazed by the housemaid’s action despite her calm look.

"When she was introduced to me on Saturday, I thought she would be a good woman. She looked gentle and hardly could anyone think she is evil.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, has confirmed the incident, adding that efforts were on to rescue the victims. He asks  members of the public to give information that will lead to the rescue of the kids and reunite them with their parents.

I pray the little boys are found safe and healthy.