Accused kidnapper speaks from jail

VALE, Ore. -- Deputies arrested an Eastern Oregon woman accused of running off with someone else's baby.

Roni "Monique" Trammelle of Nyssa has been charged with second-degree kidnapping.

Detective Rob Hunsucker of the Malheur County Sheriff's Office says Trammelle lives near the baby's family and they had just recently met.

The baby's mother, Jennifer Stroud, had to go somewhere Monday and left the 11-month-old boy with his older brother.

Hunsucker says Trammelle asked him if she could take the baby. Permission was not granted, but the 41-year-old grabbed the baby and took off.

Deputies found Trammelle not far from where the alleged kidnapping took place.

NewsChannel 7 spoke with the suspect and the baby's mother about the incident.

"I am very angry that a person, I can't understand, I wish I could put it into words. I can't fathom how a person could think that’s OK, that I have known the person for a day or two and it's OK for me to take her son," said Stroud.

From the Malheur County Jail, Trammelle agreed to talk with us, but was later advised not to by her attorney.

She told us that she is innocent and that it is all a misunderstanding.

She didn't want to go into details, but says she has taken care of the Stroud children before. Jennifer Stroud said that is not true. The two women had only known each other for a couple of days.

There is a grand jury indictment hearing today on this second-degree kidnapping case. Jennifer and her oldest child Toby are being questioned.