LOS ANGELES (AP) – Police say a wealthy woman kidnapped a 7-week-old baby after the infant’s teenage mother refused a $6,000 offer for the child.

Annette Pinkard, a 47-year-old real estate professional from the Dallas area, was being held in Texas along with her cousin, Sylvia Nunn, 53.

Authorities say the women saw the baby, Devon Calloway, with his 17-year-old mother at a store last month and offered to buy the child. Dominique Calloway said she refused their offer but let the women drive her home.

Two days later, the women returned, and when Calloway allowed them to hold Devon, they took the baby a drove off, authorities said.

Pinkard’s attorney, Scottie Allen, disputed that account, saying Calloway agreed to let the boy go and even signed a form relinquishing her parental rights.

He said his client and Nunn, who lives in Compton, came across Devon’s 2-year-old sister “unaccompanied and running around outside.” They found the mother, went home with her to a fetid duplex and offered to adopt both children, he said.

Pinkard was “scared to death” when she learned about the kidnapping investigation while driving back to Texas with Devon, he said.

He said she had planned to return to California to apply to a court for adoption.

Dominique Calloway denied allowing her baby to be taken.

“I didn’t sign no papers. They lie,” she said.

Pinkard and Nunn are charged with one count each of kidnapping and child stealing, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. They were arrested May 24.

Los Angeles Police Detective Maria Rivas said other mothers, also black and poor, had come forward to say that Pinkard had previously tried to buy their babies.

Pinkard had been convicted of forgery in 2000, which her attorney acknowledged. Nunn’s attorney said his client also has a criminal record but not an extremely serious one.

AP-ES-06-02-06 1114EDT

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