Family friend tried to set carpet on fire to distract from kidnapping baby

Indianapolis, IN — A baby is safe and back with his family after being abducted Friday morning.

Indianapolis Metropolitan police detectives say 18-year-old Desarai Kemp stole the 1-month-old boy, William Junior Gibson, and a car from the Cross Creek Apartments near West 59th Street and Georgetown Road around 4:24 a.m. Friday. They say she also tried to set the apartment on fire but was unsuccessful.

Kemp faces several charges, including kidnapping, arson, auto theft and theft.

Maria Flores, the baby’s aunt, says Kemp is a family friend and had been staying at the apartment for a few days with the baby and his mother and some more family members. Flores says Kemp waited until everyone was asleep and then tried to set fire to the carpet near the front door and near a couch where one woman was sleeping.

FOX59 spoke to the baby’s mother, Juanita Gibson, who said she considered Kemp a good friend.

“I let you lay your head in my home, put food in your mouth, my clothes on your back, and you just come and take my child out of my home like that,” said Gibson.

Police found Kemp at a home around 5:35 a.m. in the 2500 block of Rader Street, which is about eight miles from where police say Kemp took the baby.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Kemp told police she had a miscarriage several months ago and wanted a baby of her own. Police said she also admitted to using rags soaked in lighter fluid to start a fire in the apartment’s kitchen counter, stating the fire was supposed to be a “distraction.”

In a twist to the story, FOX59 has confirmed the child’s father is 20-year-old William Alvies, who was sentenced to 42 years Thursday in connection with the attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend outside Arsenal Tech High School back in June.

FOX59 spoke with Alvies from jail and asked him what he believed the motive was. Alvies said he believe Kemp attempted the kidnapping out of revenge for the shooting of Kemp’s friend, the shooting he’s serving time in prison for.

The baby was checked out at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health as a precaution, but he is now home safe with his mother.