Shaker Heights: Sister, boyfriend arrested in alleged kidnapping of Pittsburgh woman

SHAKER HEIGHTS -- Police have arrested two Shaker Heights residents and a Pennsylvania man in connection with the kidnapping of an 86-year-old woman from her home in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh police received a call on a woman who was duct taped and driven from her home in a black Cadillac Escalade. Officers did not see the woman or the vehicle when they arrived.

Through interviews in the neighborhood, police found 48-year-old Darnell Randall, who was taken into custody. He was charged with kidnapping and related charges.

Police say they learned the woman was duct taped and removed from her home at approximately 4 a.m. Monday by a man and a woman. It was later discovered that the two were the victim's sister and the sister's boyfriend.

As Leslie Stewart and family are finding out the cost of caring for an aging loved one may have just gone up..... 10 to 15 years in prison .

That 's the possible penalty for Leslie's mother -72- year old Laura Stewart and boyfriend, 76- year-old Earl Cross.

"My mother is a professional woman that has never hurt anything or anyone she just wanted to help her sister," Leslie Stewart said.

The two are behind bars for allegedly kidnapping Laura's 86 year old sister Evelyn Poynter from her Pittsburgh apartment.

"It looks like the city dump. She has no water. The pipes have broken. The gas is off. It's in a drug infested neighborhood where her doors have been kicked in," Leslie Stewart said.

Leslie says her mother has been visiting Evelyn monthly begging her to leave the broken down building.

With winter upon us stewart could not wait.

"Now my mother s going to be the one who is in trouble for trying to help her older sister," Leslie said.

Police say they initiated phone conversation with the sister several times, but she was misleading and deceptive.

Further investigation into the incident led Pittsburgh officers to believe the victim to be in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Shaker Heights police were alerted and the victim was found shortly after midnight.

The victim was taken to an Ohio hospital for examination.

Laura Stewart, 72, and Earl Cross, 76, were taken into custody and charged with kidnapping and related charges. Both are Shaker Heights residents.

They are currently detained in Shaker Heights awaiting court proceedings and extradition back to Pittsburgh.