Woman posing as Russian police tries to kidnap 8-year-old girl in alley, CA cops say
A woman was arrested after she was accused of posing as Russian police and trying to kidnap an 8-year-old girl from an alley, California police say.
Through investigation, Santa Monica police said they learned the girl was in the alley with an adult neighbor the afternoon of Aug. 21, according to an Aug. 22 news release from the department.
As the child helped load pets into the neighbor’s car, a woman, identified as 40-year-old Courtney Perrone, approached, police said.
She told the pair “she was Russian police and that she was taking the child,” according to police.
When Perrone knelt and threw her arms around the girl, the neighbor tried to stop her, police said.
After “a tug of war between the neighbor and Perrone,” the neighbor put the girl in the front seat of his car and told Perrone to leave, according to police.
She, however, ignored him and tried to open his car door, police said.
The neighbor again confronted her, and Perrone pulled out a switchblade, according to police.
She left the area on foot, police said.
Officers searched for the suspect after getting a call about the attempted kidnapping at about 2:30 p.m., according to police.
While searching about a block away, officers found the woman in a grocery store parking lot, police said.
A witness confirmed Perrone was the suspect, and she was arrested on multiple felony counts, including attempted kidnapping and false imprisonment, police said.
Perrone has an extensive criminal history, including out-of-state arrests on assault and battery counts, according to police.
Recently, she was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department on a count of assault with a deadly weapon; however, she “was released for insufficient evidence,” police said.
Perrone also has outstanding warrants from New Hampshire on counts of forgery and intimidation and was convicted on a deadly weapon charge in Nevada, police said.
Perrone is expected to appear in court Friday, Aug. 23, according to police.
This story was originally published August 23, 2024 at 1:30 PM with the headline "Woman posing as Russian police tries to kidnap 8-year-old girl in alley, CA cops say."
