DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) — A 6-month-old baby missing for nearly four hours—that’s how long Jose Cobos said his daughter Aishell sat in the hands of a stranger.

Durham police report the child fell victim to abduction at an apartment complex on Courtney Creek Boulevard early Thursday morning. Police said a 16-year-old girl, now charged with abduction of a child, brandished a knife and stole the baby.

The mother, Alexandra Garay, told CBS 17 she was walking towards the door of her apartment when the suspect grabbed the baby’s chair.

“She was walking around the back of the apartments,” Garay said via text message.

Garay thought she was being robbed and told the suspect “please, the baby, no” and was threatened with the knife.

“She just grabbed my chair tight,” Garay said.

The mother let go of the chair and ran to ask for help. The suspect is accused of taking the baby to her own apartment in the building directly next door.

“I let go of the chair afraid that she would do something to me or to the baby,” Garay said.

One woman who lives in the complex said the suspect walked out, claiming she didn’t have the child. The woman also said the suspect lives with her boyfriend, where there are frequent calls made in reference to domestic violence incidents.

Witnesses saw officers searching the apartment and recovering the baby.

Some of the victim’s neighbors told CBS 17 the suspect was yelling “they told me to do it… they told me to do it” as she was being taken into custody.

The forensics unit canvassed the area hours after the baby was found. There’s no word yet on a possible motivation.

CBS 17 spoke with the baby’s mother and father using a translator.