Three women from Columbia face multiple charges for stealing items from stores in Jefferson City Wednesday, then trying to get rid of them by throwing them out of a moving car while be chased by authorities.
Shanell Rena Fox-Brown, 25, is charged with two counts of felony stealing and one count each of first-degree child endangerment, resisting arrest and misdemeanor stealing.
Victoria Simone Thompson, 20, is charged with two counts of felony stealing and one count each of first-degree child endangerment, tampering with physical evidence and misdemeanor stealing.
Kaytlen Hill, 19, is charged with two counts of felony stealing and one count each of tamping with physical evidence and misdemeanor stealing.
The women went to Dillard's at Capital Mall and stolen more than $200 worth of merchandise before heading to Dick's Sporting Goods on Stoneridge Parkway and taking nearly $700 in items by concealing them in their purses.
At Kohl's on Stoneridge Parkway, the women selected items and carried them into fitting rooms. They each took turns concealing the merchandise, which was valued at more than $500.
When confronted by store security, the women fled the store.
The women got into a vehicle driven by Fox-Brown and sped off.
Fox-Brown led officers on a chase that went from Missouri Boulevard onto U.S. 54 and into Callaway County before getting into an accident. She and the others were then taken into custody.
When questioned by officers, Fox-Brown admitted there was an infant in the vehicle when she and her accomplices fled from authorities.
She said she came to Jefferson City to steal items because she was homeless and needed money.
The infant in the vehicle was Thompson's two-month old son.
Authorities said Thompson unbuckled the child's car seat during the pursuit in order to gain access to the trunk where the stolen items were located.
Thompson and Hill then threw the items out of the vehicle.
Thompson said she didn't steal anything, nor did she see the others steal items. She said she left Kohl's because her child was crying and was in the vehicle when Fox-Brown and Hill ran from the store. She also said she told Fox-Brown to stop when police began to chase them and that she didn't unsecure her son from his car seat until after the accident.
Hill admitted to stealing items from the stores and throwing the merchandise out of the vehicle during the pursuit. She also said Thompson was handing her items to throw out.