Prosecutor: Lynn man charged in laundromat kidnapping ‘wanted to kill’ 1-year-old girl

LYNN, Mass. (WHDH) — A man accused of  trying to kidnap a 1-year-old girl from a laundromat in Lynn on Tuesday admitted to officers that he “wanted to kill” the child, according to prosecutors.

Precious Chigbue, 24, was arraigned Wednesday in Lynn District Court on attempted kidnapping charges and was ordered held behind bars without bail.

Lynn police said Chigbue went inside the laundromat around 11 a.m. and picked up the child, who was sitting at a table, and tried to leave. When he was stopped by a witness and the mother, he handed the baby back.

“You’ve got to be very, very careful now-a-days. You don’t know who is coming around,” said Jerry Barca, a customer at the laundromat.

Police said Chigbue fled the store on foot after being confronted. He was arrested at a nearby store.

“When asked why he went to the laundromat, he responded that he ‘wanted to kill the baby.’ When asked how he planned to the kill the child, he stated that he was ‘going to slit her throat.’ When asked why, he stated that he ‘just had that thought,'” Assistant District Attorney Katelyn Giliberti said.

“I know he wouldn’t have done this on his own and, just, he needs help,” said Emeka Iloba, Chigbue’s cousin.

Iloba said Chigbue has a history of mental illness, including hallucinations. He added that ever since his cousin moved her four months ago from Nigeria, his family has taken care of him, but they’ve also seen the medications not always working.

“It was blown out of proportion. He didn’t deserve this. He’s mentally ill. He didn’t mean to do this at all,” said Iloba.

Police said he has no relationship with the child.

Chigbue is slated to appear in court again next week for a dangerousness hearing.

(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)