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The woman accused of kidnapping a three-week-old baby who was later found dead allegedly tried to kidnap another baby, and lied about having a charity in order to locate infants. Police say it was all part of an elaborate scheme to convince her married boyfriend that she'd given birth to twins.Giseleangelique Rene D'Milian, a 47-year-old Thousand Oaks woman, and her accomplice Anthony McCall, 29, have both been charged with the kidnapping and murder of three-week-old Eliza De La Cruz, as well as the attempted murder of De La Cruz's mother, father and uncle. Todd Boudreaux, 44, and D'Milian's daughter Charisse Shelton, 30, have both been accused of helping D'Milian and McCall cover up their alleged deeds.
Police say D'Milian had lied to her married boyfriend about being pregnant and giving birth to his twins in December of 2014 while she was in another country. In order for the ruse to continue, D'Milian had to come up with a baby boy and a baby girl to pass off as her own. Investigators say she and her accomplice, McCall, first kidnapped De La Cruz in a vicious attack during which McCall shot the baby's parents and uncle. After De La Cruz's death, D'Milian attempted to kidnap another baby.
This time, she set her sights on a 23-year-old woman she already knew who had recently given birth to a baby boy, the L.A. Times reports. D'Milian also lied about having a charity that provided aid to mothers with infants in order to locate babies whose complexion would match her own, even asking her friends to help her spread the word about the charity, according to the Sacramento Bee.
Police say this second mother was beaten with a bat by McCall in a hotel room in El Segundo. The attack was interrupted when hotel employees knocked on the door in response to the woman's screams, and McCall fled the scene without the baby. The woman survived the attack.
Eliza De La Cruz was kidnapped on January 3. Police say McCall broke into her Long Beach home and kidnapped the baby after shooting her mother, father and uncle. De La Cruz's body was found in a dumpster in Imperial Beach the next day. The three adults survived the attack, though their critical injuries initially prevented them from providing many details to police. Soon, however, De La Cruz's mother was able to recall a woman in a Range Rover who stopped her while she was walking home on the day De La Cruz was kidnapped. Surveillance footage revealed that the woman, who police say was D'Milian, had been following a public bus Da La Cruz and her mother were riding and then stopped her after she exited the bus. The mother remembers the woman asking about her baby, but said that the conversation did not seem strange, and she continued to walk home with her child after the encounter. Police also say that McCall was following the pair, but in a separate car.
Police still aren't sure why De La Cruz was killed and have yet to release details on her cause of death.
Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna said that in his 29 years of service, "we've never seen anything like this where someone goes out looking for babies and they attempt to kill the mothers. It's just unbelievable," KTLA reports.
D'Milian's personal website describes her as "just a girl from Portugal" and "one of the most sincere and kindest(sic) women you will ever meet." She advertises her skills as a mentor, professional speaker and an expert in negotiations and meditation.
Her bio reads:
Her biggest downfall would be trying to help others, even those who later may show not to deserve it, yet she continues to do what she calls her "calling" as a philanthropist is all about. She says that if she helped 1000 people only 10 or less has ever tried to do her wrong via causing danger, blackmail or theft but she still maintains that since the truth is always the truth even when no one believes it and a lie is still a lie even when everyone believes it, she will do what she does and keep smiling and moving forward in the game of life!
The site also claims that she can speak seven languages and that she "protects and advocates for the underdog to a fault."
Police do not believe there have been any other victims, but they are still looking for any mothers who may have been in contact with D'Milian regarding her fake charity.
