Ky’air Thomas, one of two 6-month-old infants that gained national attention as part of an Ohio kidnapping case in December, has died.
According to WBNS, Columbus authorities responded to a call reporting an unresponsive infant on Saturday night.
Paramedics rushed the child to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, where he died at 11:44 p.m.
Although an autopsy is scheduled for Monday, family members have said Ky’air’s untimely death was due to a feeding accident.
Wilma Booker, the twin’s great aunt, provided WSYX with a statement on what she claimed happened.
“While I wasn’t exactly right there when it happened, my kids were there. Momo (the twins’ mother’s nickname) was feeding the babies, and one of them started choking on the milk and that’s what happened,” she said. “She immediately called 911, trying to do chest compression and CPR things to get the baby back at that time. It was just like an accident that happened from feeding the babies and that was it.”
She added that she was “in a state of shock,” and the twin’s mother, Wilhelmina Barnett, is “doing really bad right now.”
Booker elaborated on how their family is dealing with the string of tragedies they have endured.
“I just want people to know that Momo is a really good mom,” she added. “She loves her babies. I don’t want people to judge her like they did last time. I just want that to be known. I’m like in a state of shock for real, I’m devastated, I’m hurt for Momo. I’m hurt for Chaz the father, I’m hurt for Kason his twin brother because he is a twin, but I’m mostly, mostly, mostly, mostly, worried about Wilhelmina.”
Booker continued defending her niece, claiming that social media has not been so kind to her.
“She’s been through so much in the way of social media and everybody has been treating her. I just don’t want [it] to take a toll on her and want her to keep being the great mom that she is.”
According to WBNS, the twin’s grandmother released a statement representing the mourning family:
“Tonight we are living a nightmare with the community for a second time in less than a month. I’m questioning God, “Lord why, Ky’air?” None of this seems real! I’m begging the community again to have some compassion and empathy while lifting up our family, Kason, and his mother Wilhemnia, LaChez, my son and the twins’ father in prayer.”
Blavity covered the statewide search for Ky’air and his twin brother Kason after they were abducted in December. The case was notable as two Black women were the ones who cracked the case, despite police not initially crediting them.
The twins were reported missing when 24-year-old Nalah Jackson stole their mother’s car while they were in the back.
Ky’air was found hours after the abduction in his car seat in a parking lot at the Dayton International Airport.
His brother was found two days later, about 175 miles from his home in Columbus, Ohio. The infant was found in a Papa Johns parking lot in the backseat of his mother’s missing vehicle.
“Holding him was one of the best feelings I’ve had in my career,” – IMPD Sgt. Shawn Anderson
Sgt. Anderson and Sgt. Richard El were two of the first IMPD officers to locate 5-month-old Kason Thomas.
Earlier today, they discussed their reaction to finding Kason. pic.twitter.com/kX47dDn3jL
— IMPD (@IMPDnews) December 23, 2022
Local police state they are still gathering information and investigating Ky’air’s death.
