4-year-old helps solve burglary orchestrated by babysitter

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WHATCOM COUNTY, Washington — A burglary organized by a babysitter at the house where she was watching three children was foiled when one of the children found a hole in her story.

The babysitter was watching 4-year-old Abby and two other children June 18 when she let two teens into the house before running away with the children. The teens stole items from a list the babysitter made after she looked around the house for valuables, according to twentytwowords.com.

When police questioned the babysitter she told them two black men, one possessing a gun and the other a knife, charged through the back door and told her to leave if she didn’t want anyone to get hurt. She mentioned that one of the men looked like the neighbor next door — a 6-foot-4 athletic black man.

Police arrested the neighbor, 25-year-old Cody Oakes who was preparing to attend practice for the Bellingham Bulldogs, a semi-pro football team for which he plays quarterback.

But Abby recognized the incorrect detail of the teens' race and informed police that they were actually white and younger.

The babysitter and her accomplices were apprehended, and police released Oakes after apologizing to him.

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Kyle Spencer

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