Hiding Under Jacket, Teen in Brutal Beating Case Freed

A teenager arrested in the brutal kidnapping and beating of a 76-year-old East County woman was set free from jail late Wednesday night.

Hiding underneath a jacket, shielded by friends and family, 19-year-old Antoinette Baker was released just before 10 p.m.  Baker would not talk to reporters, but her mother, Jesse Baker, said she's extremely happy and thanks the Lord for bringing her daughter home.

The judge dismissed all charges against Baker in court Wednesday. 

”I am happy, I am pleased, I am not shocked,” Baker's attorney Allan Williams said.  β€œShe is a little girl of tremendous faith and she honestly believed this was going to happen today.”

Jeffrey Nelson and Luis Osborne remained in custody and were bound over for trial.  The trio were arrested in December, accused of kidnapping 76-year-old Sandy Vinge, beating her and putting her in the trunk of her car.

Nelson will stand trial on 10 felony counts including kidnapping and inflicting cruelty on an elderly person.  Osborne faces two felony counts of inflicting cruelty and false imprisonment.

Antoinette Baker is free for now, but the Deputy District Attorney said he will decide by March 11 if he wants to re-file charges against Baker.

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