COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus Police homicide detectives are investigating the death of the twin brother of a kidnapped baby boy recovered in Indianapolis following an Amber Alert in December.
Six-month-old Kyair Thomas died just before midnight, police said.
Homicide detectives responded to a call for an unresponsive child, and are investigating the baby’s death.
There will be an autopsy on Monday to try to determine what caused the baby's death.
Kason and Kyair Thomas were sitting in a 2010 Honda Accord in Columbus on Dec. 19, 2022 while their mother, Wilhemnia Barnett, went inside a Donatos Pizza to pick up a DoorDash order.
Nalah Jackson, 24, was arrested and charged with kidnapping the twins. According to court records, Jackson was sitting inside the restaurant and went out a side door, got in the car with the two infants and drove away.
Kyair was found abandoned outside of Dayton International Airport early on the morning of Dec. 20 and reunited with his family.
Two days later, Jackson was arrested in Indianapolis and Kason Thomas was found in the stolen vehicle at a Papa John's pizza location in Indianapolis.
LaFonda Thomas, the twins' grandmother, said the baby was put on medication after being left in the cold and possibly going days without food.
On Dec. 31, friends and family of Kason and Kyair held a welcome-home celebration.
Barnett said then that Kason and Kyair were happy and healthy and just had colds, but were happy to be back together. She said Kyair couldn’t sleep without Kason, and it was clear the twins hadn’t been fed in the days they were missing.
The following statement was released Sunday on behalf of Fonda Thomas, grandmother of the twins:
"Tonight we are living a nightmare with the community for a second time in less than a month. I'm questioning God, "Lord why, Ky'air?" None of this seems real!
I'm begging the community again to have some compassion and empathy while lifting up our family, Kason, and his mother Wilhemnia, LaChez, my son and the twins' father in prayer."