RIVERSIDE, Ca. – A homeless woman was arrested on Monday afternoon after attempting to kidnap a 5-year-old child.
At around 2:10 p.m. on Monday, July 13, 2020, dispatchers received a call regarding an attempted kidnapping in the area of Van Buren Boulevard and Audrey Avenue. A woman told authorities that she was walking with her daughter when they noticed a woman standing at the corner talking to herself. The woman began also making comments to the child.
In fear for the safety of herself and her daughter, the woman picked up the small child and ran toward the entrance of the Walmart store. While running into the store the woman yelled for the woman to leave them alone as the woman followed closely behind them. She began grabbing her daughter’s leg attempting to pull her away from her mother. The child’s mother was able to fight her off and run into the Walmart, where the store security stopped the suspect from entering the store. The suspect fled on foot away from the store.
Air Support quickly located the suspect and direction ground units to her location where they made contact with her. The suspect was detained and identified as Ariel Perez, 31, from the Jurupa Valley. She was found to be on probation for vandalism and was arrested and booked into jail for kidnapping and violation of probation. She is being held in lieu of $80,000. Neither the mother or child were seriously injured but the child did have scratches from the attempted kidnapping. Both mother and child will continue to recover from the emotional distress caused by the attempted kidnapping.
