Convicted Baby Kidnapper Rayshaun Parson is sentenced by a federal judge to 20 years in prison Friday.
“We knew a happy-go-lucky young lady who wanted to have children,” says Rayshaun Parson’s great aunt, Bishop D. Taara Williams. Bishop Williams says the Rayshaun we've known since March isn't the young lady they've known for 22 years. “Today we realize is a new beginning for Rayshaun; for we realize that in life, you must pay the consequences for your actions. And so for us this is a day of atonement.
This new beginning is starting with a sentence: 20 years in prison. But Parson had originally faced 20 years to life. "We believe that God has moved today because we realize what she could have been facing. And so, we do believe the court was lenient under the circumstances in this situation,” says Bishop Williams. "The defendant in this case, we believe, engaged in significant planning to kidnap this young baby and I think Judge Cummings’ response to her conduct is appropriate", says Richard Roper, United States Attorney.
You may remember Parson posed as a nurse and took baby Mychael Darthard-Dowado from Covenant Lakeside Hospital in March of this year. "It is our prayer that this child may be able to grow up and this family may be able to go on and to forgive Rayshaun,” says Bishop Williams.
Parson was deemed competent to stand trial but pled guilty to the kidnapping back in August. And when she was in court, once more, for sentencing Friday, along with baby Mychael's family, the judge asked her if she would like to address the court. Parson declined. Her family says Parson’s action of pleading guilty was the statement she wished to make. "This is an opportunity I think for the entire family to not look at the past, but to allow the past to be buried,” says Bishop Williams.
The past is, perhaps, buried. However, one family hopes they won't have to dig deep to find the young lady they loved once again. "I would say to her on the day that she gets out, I may be an old woman, but we're going to be there with love and we're going to do each and every day with her,” says Bishop Williams.
Baby Mychael's family did not comment on the sentencing. Meanwhile, the U.S. Attorneys office says Parson will not be eligible for parole. But, after serving 85% of her sentence, or 17 years, authorities could consider releasing her early
