Couple charged after falsely claiming vehicle was carjacked with child inside

A Chicago couple is facing charges after filing a false police report claiming a vehicle had been carjacked while a 4-year-old child was sitting in the back seat Saturday afternoon in west suburban Cicero.

Jeremy L. Ingram, 25, and 21-year-old Zada Williams were both charged with felony disorderly conduct, according to Ray Hanania, spokesman for the town of Cicero.

About 1 p.m., officers responded to a report of a carjacking at 5011 W. Cermak Road and began investigating, Hanania said.

During the investigation into the carjacking, Williams called 911 at Ingram’s urging and falsely claimed that his nephew was in the back of the carjacked vehicle, Hanania said. Police then issued an all-points bulletin to neighboring agencies to assist in locating the vehicle and the child.

Police later discovered an inconsistency in the couple’s initial report and a 911 call made by Williams, Hanania said. Ingram had told investigators that his nephew was 4 years old, but Williams said the child was 2 years old.

The couple eventually told investigators they fabricated their story about the carjacking, admitting that no child had been taken and that their vehicle had simply been stolen, Hanania said. The duo noted that they lied about the child to create a higher priority search for their stolen vehicle.

Ingram and Williams are both being held at the Cicero Police Department awaiting Sunday bond hearings, Hanania said.