Recovered; Sep 04, 2004

Police in Meriden, Connecticut and the Department of Children and Families recovered Ayanna Helmedach late Saturday night, 9/4/04, and returned her to relatives unharmed. Two days earlier, when police discovered the body of a woman who'd been stabbed to death, they believed the victim was 20-year-old Jennifer Helmedach. Her one-year-old daughter Ayanna was missing, so cops immediatly issued an AMBER Alert. Investigators feared Ayanna was taken by David Bell, who they believe is Ayanna's father. And they believed Bell was traveling with a woman named Faye Bennett. But then the case took a strange twist. Police identified the dead woman as Faye Bennett. And they said Bell was on the run with little Ayanna and her mother, Jennifer -- who was at first believed to be the murder victim.

On Friday 9/3/04, Faye Bennett's red 1996 Chevrolet Blazer was discovered in East Orange, N.J. Police say Bell has relatives there. Witnesses told police they'd earlier seen the vehicle with a baby crying inside. Police are hunting Bell, who has been charged with kidnapping. Police also want to question him in connection with the murder of Faye Bennett.