Hartsdale Couple and Nanny Charged in Connection with Brutal Kidnapping and Assault

This in from the Westchester County District Attorney:

Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace announced the indictments and arrests of a married Hartsdale couple and their nanny who were charged in connection with the kidnapping and assault of a 19-year old Queens woman.

All three defendants were arraigned by Judge Susan Capeci on July 10th. The details regarding the defendants and their charges are as follows:

Wayne Barnes, 44-years old of Hartsdale was charged with Kidnapping in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, two counts of Assault in the Second Degree and three counts of Assault in the Third Degree. He was released on $300,000 bond.

Jasmine Barnes, 42-years old of Hartsdale, wife of Wayne Barnes, was charged with Kidnapping in the Second Degree, Menacing in the Second Degree, two counts of Assault in the Second Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree. She was released on bail.

Lizbeth Cerrato-Sanchez, 19-years old of Yonkers, was charged with Assault in the Second Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree. She was released on $10,000 bond.

The allegations are as follows. On May 16, 2025, Wayne Barnes, the owner of Sons of Ink tattoo parlor in the Bronx, offered a ride home to the 19-year old female victim, an employee of Barnes. Barnes, who is married to co-defendant Jasmine Barnes, had become romantically involved with the victim. On the drive to the victim’s home in Queens, Barnes got into a heated argument with the victim at which time he forced her out of the car along the Grand Central Parkway in Queens. After allowing the victim back in the car he allegedly assaulted her, striking her numerous times with an expandable metal baton.

After receiving a phone call from his wife, co-defendant Jasmine Barnes, Wayne Barnes then drove back to the Bronx to pick up his wife, repeatedly striking the victim with the metal baton along the way. Jasmine Barnes, who was allegedly wearing black gloves and was also armed with a metal baton, then joined her husband and the victim and began to drive to their home in Hartsdale.

Upon arrival to their home in Hartsdale, Wayne and Jasmine Barnes dragged the victim into their home where Jasmine Barnes allegedly pushed the victim down a flight of stairs, dragged her by the hair and struck her with the metal baton. Lizbeth Cerrato-Sanchez, nanny for the Barnes family, was at the Hartsdale home tending to the Barnes children at the time of this incident. At one point, Cerrato-Sanchez also assaulted the victim, allegedly punching her in the face while Barnes continued to strike the victim with the baton. After allowing Cerrato-Sanchez to go home, Wayne and Jasmine Barnes continued to argue with and threaten the 19-year old female victim.

The victim was eventually able to convince Jasmine Barnes to give her cell phone back to her and was allowed to change out of her bloody clothes into clean clothes. The victim was then allowed to leave the house and go home in an Uber. The next day she was treated at a local hospital for her injuries and then reported the incident to the Greenburgh Police Department. After a swift investigation, Greenburgh PD placed the three defendants under arrest on May 20, 2025.

Wayne and Jasmine Barnes are due back in court in Westchester on July 29, 2025. Lizbeth Cerrato-Sanchez is due back in court on August 7, 2025.

Jasmine Barnes also faces the following charges in the Bronx: Attempted Assault in the First Degree, Assault in the Second Degree, Attempted Assault in the Second Degree, Unlawful Imprisonment in the First Degree Menacing in the Second Degree, Assault in the Third Degree, Unlawful Imprisonment in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree and Harassment in the Second Degree.

DA Cacace said: “The level of depravity shown by the defendants in this case is astonishing. Incidents like this underscore the importance of multiple jurisdictions being able to work together to swiftly deliver justice. I commend all of the agencies involved in this important case.”

This multi-jurisdictional case is being handled by the Greenburgh Police Department, Assistant District Attorneys Mollie O’Rourke and Sarah Gewirtz of the Special Prosecutions Division of the Westchester County DA’s Office, the NYPD, Bronx DA’s Office and the Nassau County DA’s Office.