CBS LA

4-year-old child abducted from Santa Monica restaurant found safely at nearby motel with kidnapper

By Dean Fioresi,

2024-07-13

4-year-old girl found safe after being abducted from Santa Monica restaurant 02:12

A four-year-old girl who was kidnapped from a Santa Monica restaurant was found safely hours later she was taken on Friday.

Police were called to the Panda Express located in the 1900 block of Lincoln Boulevard a little after 12:10 p.m. after receiving a "frantic call for help from a grandmother" after the girl went missing, according to a statement from the Santa Monica Police Department.

Officers arrived to the scene and gathered video images of who they believed kidnapped the girl, which they sent to additional units also heading to the restaurant.

More than 30 officers flooded the area to search for the suspect, who they described as a heavyset woman in her 40s.

The girl was located just about 20 minutes later at the Holiday Motel near 11th Street and Pico Boulevard, police said.

"Thankfully, the child was unharmed and the suspect was taken into custody," the SMPD statement said.

While they did not provide much more information on the suspect and her criminal history, police say that she appeared to have been residing at the motel for an "extended period of time."

She was booked on suspicion of kidnapping.

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Melanie Martin

07-15

This is what we get when homeless vouchers are given in our neighborhoods. The police recognized her from surveillance cameras, (how many times has she been in trouble with the law?) and knew where she lived.

T. C.A.C.

07-13

it didn't take then long to find her. I was at the shopping center looking to pick up food at Panda as the entire mall became overwhelmed with police and detectives.There was no where to go, and people struggled to leave.Lincoln was closed for several blocks going south, and Pico was closed several blocks going west.I saw the police car make a sudden U turn to go into the motel parking lot.I got food at another eatery across the street, and as I left, the police,and fire dept were at this slizzy. motel on 11th & Pico, about 2-3 blocks away.Ive never been in such chaos before.it couldn't have been more than 30-60 minutes and it was all over, and then blocks away, a pick up truck had been struck by a train.I decided to go home. Too crazy!

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4-year-old child abducted from Santa Monica restaurant found safely at nearby motel with kidnapper

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