Cops Say Woman Rescued Herself & 3 Sons From Kidnapper With “Please Call 911” Note

Authorities say the ploy worked and that William Jamal Wilksinson has been arrested on multiple charges, including unlawful imprisonment.

June 05, 2019
Mug shot of William Jamal Wilkinson [Nassau County Police Department]

Photo by: Mug shot of William Jamal Wilkinson [Nassau County Police Department]

Mug shot of William Jamal Wilkinson [Nassau County Police Department]

By: Mike McPadden

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ROSLYN HEIGHTS, NY — According to police, a woman rescued herself and her three sons — two of whom have autism — from her boyfriend after the man took them hostage in his car. She was able to craft a note and hold it against the car window. The note reportedly read, “Please call 911, CALL 911.”

Prosecutors allege that William Jamal Wilkinson, 26, trapped the unidentified woman, her three-year-old autistic twins, and her 13-year-old son inside his Ford Taurus and went driving on Tuesday.

According to a Nassau County Police Department press release, the woman managed to craft a distress sign and pressed it against the window so that other motorists could see her message of “Please call 911, CALL 911.”

A passing driver did reportedly dial 911, and responders caught up to Wilkinson’s vehicle at a gas station. The woman and the children allegedly then told officers that Wilkinson had forced them into his vehicle and refused to let them go.

Authorities say Wilkinson has been charged with four counts of first-degree unlawful imprisonment, two counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of an incompetent physically disabled person, and single counts of endangering the welfare of a child and criminal possession of marijuana.

Court documents indicate that Wilkinson was arraigned Wednesday and is being held on $50,000.

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