Police: Woman who abducted boy wanted to take him to boyfriend's house so 'one day he would have a child with her'

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WAS KIDNAPPED. >> I NEVER THOUGHT MY CHILD WOULD BE A CHILD THAT COULD BE ABDUCTED. STANDING SIDE BY SIDE WITH HER 9-YEAR-OLD SON JERAMIAH WHOSE FACE SHE ASKED WE CONCEAL ERIKA STRAUSSER SAYS SHE IS STILL CONFUSED BUT EXTREMELY GRATEFUL THAT HE IS SAF JUST ONE DAY EARLIER STRAUSSER THOUGHT SHE MIGHT NEVER SEE HER SON AGAIN. POLICE SAY THIS WOMAN KARASTINE MUYANGO A STRANGER TO THE BOY TOOK HIM FROM THE SUE MURRAY POOL ON THE NORTHSIDE, GOT ON TO A PORT AUTHORITY BUS WITH THE BOY AND HEADED TOWARD HER BOYFRIEND’S HOME IN BRADDOCK STRAUSSER SAYS THE LIFEGUARDS KNEW THE WOMAN DIDN’T BELONG THERE-AND THE CHILDREN AT THE POOL WITH JERAMIAH RAN TO HIS MOM TO TELL. IF THE KIDS WOULD’VE HESITATED EVEN A MINUTE LATER I MIGHT NOT HAVE FOUND HIM. MARCIE: ACCORDING TO COURT PAPERS MUYANGO WANTED TO TAKE THE 9-YEAR-OLD TO MEET HER BOYFRIEND TO CONVINCE HIM TO HAVE A FAMILY, BUT THEY SAY SHE CLAIMS THAT WHEN HE SAID HE WASN’T HOME SHE BROUGHT HIM BACK TO THE POOL WHERE POLICE AND STRAUSSER WERE WATING. >> WHY? WHY WOULD YOU TAKE ANYBODY’S CHILD? I DON’T SEE WHAT GOES THROUGH BUDDY’S MIND. I HATE TO SAY IT BUT SHE HAS TO BE SICK AND I HOPE SHE GETS HELP. MARCIE: POLICE SAY THEY ARE LOOKING IN TO WHY THE WOMAN FROM BRADDOCK WAS AT A POOL ON THE NORTHSIDE MAKING FRIENDS WITH CHILDREN AND TRYING TO TAKE THEM HOME. POLICE SAY THEY ARE CHECKING IN TO WHETHER 18-YEAR-OLD MUYANGO’S 52-YEAR-OLD BOYFRIEND WAS BEHIND THE KIDNAPPING >> SHE INTENDED TO TAKE HIM FOR SOME REASON. MARCIE: SHE HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH KIDNAPPING AND REMAINS IN THE COUNTY JAIL AND IS SCHEDULED TO FACE A JUDGE ON AUGUST

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Police have charged an 18-year-old woman after a 9-year-old boy was abducted Wednesday evening while leaving a swimming pool on Pittsburgh's North Side."I never thought my child would be a child that could be abducted," said Erika Strausser.Strausser said her son was at the pool, feet from their home, with a group of friends and a cousin. Police said at one point, the group was at a Sunoco gas station across the street when the woman offered to buy them their candy.That woman was later identified in court paperwork as Karastine Muyango, 18, of Braddock. According to Pittsburgh Public Safety, the group of children then walked to the Sue Murray pool and Muyango walked with them.After swimming, the 9-year-old boy left the pool by himself to head home. He told police he sat down at one point and Muyango grabbed him by the arm and forced him to walk down Sandusky Street with her.The boy’s cousin saw the 9-year-old walking with Muyango and alerted the lifeguard and Strausser at her home. Both, police said, called 911."If the kids would have hesitated even a minute later, I might not have found him," said Strausser, who also credited the lifeguards with their quick response. "The lifeguards at the pool really helped me out. They gave me a full description of the woman, had advised me that she had been hanging around the pool that day with the children and interacting with them," said Strausser.The boy later told police he boarded a bus with Muyango that traveled around downtown. Police say he told them he didn’t know the woman and that she told people on the bus they were related. Eventually, the pair boarded another bus that came back to the North Side near where they originally boarded.When the pair got off the bus, the boy went toward the pool where his friends were calling his name.Police say the suspect went in the opposite direction, but witnesses from the pool were able to identify her and police took her into custody.The boy was not harmed.Police said that during questioning, Muyango told them she wanted to take the boy back to her boyfriend's house in Braddock so that one day, he would have a child with her and have a family. However, police said she told them she called her boyfriend and he said he was not home and she should not bring the kid to their home.Muyango is now charged with kidnapping. According to the criminal complaint, police are looking into whether the 18-year-old's 52-year-old boyfriend played any role in the kidnapping. Hear the mother of the boy's message for Muyango in the video below.