A 38-year-old woman and her 16-year-old daughter were arrested Friday afternoon after posing as photographers who take pictures of newborns and drugging a woman in an attempt to steal her baby, according to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department.
Officials took the two into custody after executing a search warrant at their home near Spanaway, the sheriff's department said in a statement. Both were arrested for investigation of multiple felonies.
Police were alerted after a woman called 911 last week and requested medical aid, reporting that she was vomiting and feeling numb, drowsy and unstable on her feet, the statement said.
The woman later told officers she believed she was drugged by a woman who had come to her house posing as a photographer.
The two had met through a newborn-baby group on Facebook, where the suspect advertised a free photo shoot so she could "build her portfolio," the statement said.
The suspect visited the mother's home three times to take pictures of the baby, during which the mother said she saw the suspect taking selfies with the newborn and wiping her fingerprints off things she touched in the house, the statement said.
During the third visit, according to the sheriff's department, the suspect and her teenage daughter gave the mother a cupcake. Immediately after eating it, she said she felt numb and drowsy, so she told the suspect and her daughter to leave. After they were gone, the victim said she noticed her house keys were missing, the statement said.
"Our detectives have worked tirelessly on this case, conducting multiple interviews and obtaining several search warrants," the sheriff's department said. "This detailed investigation identified additional victims and garnered evidence that indicate that the suspect was planning to steal a newborn baby to raise as her own."
Officials have since installed new locks and window guards at the victim's home, and are asking anyone who's been contacted by a woman posing as a photographer named "Juliette Parker," "Juliette Noel" or "Juliette Gains" to call to detectives at 253-798-7724.
