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CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – A woman accused of trying to kidnap a child from the Charleston Town Center to raise them and “love it” has accepted a plea agreement in Kanawha County Court.

According to court documents, Love Sabatini, 46, was given a plea deal to plead not guilty by reason of mental illness for the felony offense of attempted kidnapping. In exchange, she will remain under the court’s jurisdiction through the charge’s maximum three-year sentence, or until she is discharged by the court, and she must be committed to Sharpe Hospital for a “dangerousness evaluation” under WV State Code §27-6A-4(e) .

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As part of her plea deal, a misdemeanor charge against her is also being dropped.

According to a criminal complaint, Sabatini was walking around the food court in April 2023, “looking at children.” It says she then picked up the two-year-old and, “ran with the child.” The child’s parents were able to get the child away from Sabatini.

Sabatini was found by law enforcement and arrested. When police asked Sabatini what her intent was, the criminal complaint said Sabatini wanted to, “love it,” and raise the child as her own.

She was indicted on the charge last August.

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