Milwaukee day care van stolen with kids inside, woman gets probation
Katelyn Librizzi
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee woman who was accused of stealing a day care van that had four young children inside was sentenced to probation after pleading guilty.
In court:
Katelyn Librizzi, 28, was charged with the following felony counts in December 2025:
- Take and Drive Vehicle without Consent
- Abduction of a Child
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In July, Librizzi pleaded guilty to the vehicle driving charge, and the child abduction charge was dismissed but read in for the purpose of sentencing.
A judge then sentenced Librizzi to 12 months in the Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center, and then stayed that sentence and put her on 18 months of probation. A restitution hearing is scheduled for Aug. 18.
Milwaukee day care van stolen with kids inside; 27-year-old woman accused
A 27-year-old Milwaukee woman is accused of stealing a running daycare van that had four young children inside.
Case details | December 2025
The backstory:
According to a criminal complaint, a Milwaukee police detective responded to an abduction investigation near Appleton and Burleigh on Dec. 16, 2025. A 911 call came from the owner of a day care center indicating that a woman "jumped into her van and pulled off with her children inside." That woman was later identified as Librizzi.
A short time later, Milwaukee police conducted a high-risk traffic stop. Prosecutors said Librizzi was the driver and was arrested. The complaint said four young children were inside the van.
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When police spoke with the day care owner, she said she called 911 from the day care because her personal cellphone was in the van that had been stolen. Inside the recovered van, police found medical documents listed to Librizzi, the complaint said. Investigators also used the day care owner's cellphone to get geolocation data, which showed the van's path.
A detective later interviewed Librizzi who "indicated she had mental health issues," the complaint said. The detective also reported Librizzi "was making statements and comments that are not typically mentioned in interviews." Librizzi also told police "she had been driving and saw little kids in the back of the vehicle." Court filings said Librizzi also told police that the van was running in front of the day care.
The Source: Information in this story is from the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court records.