NewsChannel 5.com - Nashville, Tennessee - Attorney: Police Unfair To Latino Kidnap Victims

Attorney: Police Unfair To Latino Kidnap Victims

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - An attorney for a woman whose 4-day old baby was kidnapped after she was attacked is accusing Nashville police of trying to portray her and her husband as criminals. 

Maria Gurrolla and her husband Antonio Carrillo spoke Friday from an attorney's office in South Nashville.

This week, the woman accused in the kidnapping, Tammy Silas, sent a letter from jail to NewsChannel 5 reporter Nick Beres - claiming family members sold the baby to her for $25,000.
Woman Accused of Kidnapping Child Tells Her Story 

Gurrolla's attorney Elliott Ozment responded that the accusations "defy credibility," and he accused Nashville police of lending them credence with ambiguous statements to the media. 

"Such accusations of a baby selling scheme are totally incredible, and have no credibility whatsoever to any objective observer," said Ozment. 

Police spokesman Don Aaron responded that there is no definitive evidence indicating the parents were involved, but the case is still open. 

"We still have unresolved questions as to why and how this child was chosen," said Aaron. 

Sources close to the Gurrolla Family think Silas was staking out a WIC office on the morning of the kidnapping. She saw Gurrolla and followed her home. Police said they have not ruled out that possibility. 

"Why did she [Silas] come here from Alabama?" asked Aaron. 

 The baby selling charge first surfaced right after police found the baby in Ardmore, Ala. 

The Department of Children Services removed the infant and Gurrolla's other children and put them in foster homes. One day later DCS dropped the case and returned the children. 

Gurrolla said there's no explanation for what DCS did except one. 

"Because we are discriminated against," said Gurrolla.

The mother is originally from Mexico. Ozment said police are too eager to see Latinos as criminals, an accusation Aaron called "ridiculous." 

Gurrolla thanked the FBI for helping find her baby who is now almost 2 months old. 

"I never lost hope that I was going to get my baby back," said Gurrolla.

Metro police spent thousands of dollars trying to find the baby. Detectives spent 15,000 of overtime investigating the case.

The accused kidnapper is being held in the Robertson County Jail.

Email: mbellinger@newschannel5.com 
(The Associated Press Contributed To This Story)