A citizen’s tip helped investigators locate the 6-month-old child aboard a bus traveling from Indiana to Kentucky.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A 6-month-old child was safely recovered in Louisville, Kentucky, about five hours after a babysitter allegedly abducted the infant from an apartment complex in West Lafayette, authorities said.
Jasmine O’Sullivan, 22, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was arrested without incident on the night of July 30 after investigators traced her and the child to a bus traveling south toward Louisville. West Lafayette police said O’Sullivan faces a federal kidnapping charge and could face additional federal or state charges as the investigation continues.
Officers responded to Country Villa Apartments at about 5:47 p.m. after receiving a report of a suspected child abduction. Investigators determined that the infant had been taken from West Lafayette by an adult woman who had been caring for the child, according to a police statement released the following morning.
Police allege that O’Sullivan used the identity of an uninvolved person during the days before the abduction to gain the mother’s trust and arrange to babysit the child. Authorities said the person whose identity was used had no known involvement in the alleged kidnapping and did not know that the identity had been taken.
West Lafayette investigators began working with local, state and federal agencies as information about the child and suspect was distributed to the public. A citizen who recognized details from the Police Department’s social media posts contacted investigators with information that proved important to the search, police said.
Detectives determined that O’Sullivan and the infant were aboard a bus headed toward Louisville. Officers with the Louisville Metro Police Department, along with SWAT officers and specialized task force personnel, prepared to meet the bus when it reached the city’s Greyhound station.
The bus arrived at about 10:15 p.m., according to police and local news reports. Officers located the child and took O’Sullivan into custody. Authorities said the baby was recovered unharmed approximately five hours after West Lafayette police received the initial report.
The infant was taken to Norton Children’s Hospital as a precaution before being reunited with family members. Authorities did not report any injuries or disclose further medical information about the child.
The search involved the FBI, Louisville Metro Police Department, Indiana State Police, Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Department, Purdue University Police Department, Boone County Sheriff’s Department, Lafayette Police Department and the Indiana Clearinghouse for Information on Missing Children.
West Lafayette police said the case demonstrated the importance of quickly sharing information across jurisdictions. The department also credited the member of the public who contacted investigators after seeing information about the search.
Police cautioned that information released during the first stages of an investigation may change as officers gather evidence. Authorities initially released a different name for the suspect before identifying her as O’Sullivan, and they stressed that the person connected to the earlier name was not involved in the case.
The investigation remained active Tuesday as detectives coordinated with the U.S. attorney’s office, the Tippecanoe County prosecutor’s office and other agencies. The charge against O’Sullivan is an accusation, and she is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Author note: Last updated August 4, 2026.