COBB COUNTY, GEORGIA — A 35-year-old woman has been arrested after allegedly leaving her six-month-old baby with workers at an auto shop, then coming back with a knife and demanding the child. Laraven Davis was booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center after the incident on Saturday, October 24. Shop employees called 911 after becoming worried about the baby’s condition. Officers arrived, disarmed Davis and took her into custody, and no one was hurt.
Woman Arrived at the Shop With a Stroller
The incident happened around 10:15 a.m. at a Jiffy Lube on Floyd Road. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, assistant manager Jarayya Mayes was starting her shift when Davis walked up to the service bays with a stroller.
Mayes said she had seen Davis around nearby businesses before but had never spoken with her. At first, Davis made casual conversation with the employees and asked them to admire her baby.
Workers Told to Keep the Baby
The conversation then took an unexpected turn. Davis said she had somewhere urgent to go. She reportedly told the workers to take custody of the infant if she did not come back, adding that the paperwork they needed was in the diaper bag.
Davis then left the shop, leaving the baby behind. Mayes recognized it as a possible case of child abandonment and called 911. While they waited for officers, employees checked on the baby. They found her in heavily soiled clothing, with a soaked diaper and visible rashes on her neck and torso.
Mother Returned Agitated and Carrying a Knife
About 15 minutes after the 911 call began, Davis came back to the shop. Employees said she was agitated and carrying a knife. She demanded they give the baby back, reportedly claiming that a dangerous incident had happened nearby and she needed to get the child out of the area.
The dispatcher could hear the confrontation over the phone and told employees to keep Davis there until police arrived. Cobb County officers reached the shop shortly after, disarmed her and arrested her. No employees were injured.
Baby Treated and Placed in State Custody
Paramedics took the six-month-old girl to a local medical center for an examination. Police said she had a severe diaper rash and was in soiled clothing, but was otherwise in stable condition.
Investigators found that Davis had no local relatives who could care for the baby. The child was placed in the custody of the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services. The quick actions of the shop workers likely kept the baby safe during a tense situation.
Charges and Ongoing Investigation
Davis remains in custody on a $4,620 bond. She faces misdemeanor charges of child abandonment and reckless conduct.
Authorities have not said what led her to leave the baby at the shop or what caused the confrontation when she returned. An investigation into the family’s welfare is ongoing, and more details may come out as the case moves through the courts.
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