Police face inquiry into how they let imposter take away toddler
An investigation is under way into how an 18-month-old girl was handed over at a police station to a woman posing as a relative.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission has launched an inquiry after Audrey Nyanor was taken from Walworth police station five days ago.
A 31-year-old woman, who has not been named, was today being questioned on suspicion of abduction after being spotted with the toddler in Harlesden high street yesterday by a member of the public.
Officers had mistakenly handed Audrey over to an imposter claiming to be her aunt on Thursday morning. The woman was not asked for identification. They realised their error an hour later when the real aunt arrived to collect the girl, sparking a massive hunt to find her.
The child's mother, Cynthia Boakye, 36, from Kennington, had been arrested on Thursday for alleged immigration offences and taken with Audrey to Walworth police station. While there she gave officers the name of Grace Asare, 46, as someone who could look after Audrey — but instead they handed her to another woman using her name.
The family said they believed the abductor must have overheard officers speaking on the phone, but there were reports that the woman who took the child is a friend of Mrs Boakye's.
Mrs Boakye was later released with no further action to be taken by police. She was allowed to see Audrey for an hour at a police station last night and has pleaded to take her child home.
Police sources said today there were still unanswered questions, particularly over the possible relationship between the alleged kidnapper and the child's mother.
But Mrs Boakye hit out at reports her family had plotted the suspected kidnapping, saying: "[Now] everybody will know the truth that we are not criminals, we have not abducted a child."
Audrey's grandmother Agatha Owusuah, 54, said: "Cynthia said she wanted to sleep with her tonight but they [the police] said it doesn't work like that. She didn't cry. She's relieved she's alive, that's the most important thing. Now she's with social services so at least we know where she is."
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "We are working closely with colleagues in our Directorate of Professional Standards to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident, to look at how it happened, and to ensure that any lessons are learned."
Seven people have been arrested. All but one have been released on police bail pending further enquiries.
