MANHATTAN — A nanny was arrested early Wednesday morning after kidnapping a 3-year-old girl in her care for about 15 hours, police said.
Fatima Alexander, 55, and her young charge, Gabriella Russo left the girl's apartment building on River Terrace, near Chambers Street, about 9:15 a.m. and went missing, NYPD officials said. They were supposed to be on there way to Preschool of America on Market St. in Chinatown, but they never made it to the school.
It wasn't immediately clear where Alexander went with the girl or why she took her, police said. Alexander made no communication with the family after taking the girl, an NYPD spokesman said.
Police were on high alert looking for Alexander on Tuesday and released surveillance photos of the pair that show the girl walking beside her nanny carrying a backpack with pink stripes.
Help locate 3y/o Gabriella & Fatima Alexander, 55, last seen 41 River Terr, Man. #800577TIPS https://t.co/lMF2k0CZKo pic.twitter.com/CsacwTi56u
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) May 18, 2016
Alexander returned to the River Terrace address about 12:20 a.m. Wednesday and Gabriella was unharmed, officials said.
A Daily News reporter caught the dramatic return on video:
Missing 3-year old showed up at her home with her nanny. Scuffled ensued between the family and nanny. #NYC pic.twitter.com/UHz1kteJWu
— Andy Mai (@MaiAndy) May 18, 2016
Reached by phone Wednesday, Gabriella's father, Marc Russo, said that his daughter was home and "doing well."
Russo, who only spoke briefly, said that his family was "shocked" by Alexander's actions — they'd known the woman for 15 years. He still did not why or where Alexander took his daughter.
Alexander, of Flatlands, was arrested for kidnapping, endangering the welfare of a child and unlawful imprisonment, police said. She's expected to be arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court Wednesday.
An NYPD spokesman said Alexander had not been arrested before.
