Stanislaus Sheriff’s Office: Modesto woman attempted to kidnap toddler she claimed was hers
A Modesto woman was arrested Monday after she allegedly attempted to kidnap a 3-year-old girl she saw playing outside and claimed was hers, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
Deputies responded around 3 p.m. to the 400 block of North Emerald Avenue, near the intersection of Maze Boulevard and South Carpenter Road, the Sheriff’s Office said. A homeowner reportedly was arguing with an unknown woman, later identified as 32-year-old Crystal Melena.
Family members told deputies the girl was playing in the front yard when the woman spotted her and, believing the child was her own, tried to take her.
The girl’s mother quickly pulled the child away from Melena, who then took off in a vehicle before deputies arrived.
Family members gave deputies a vehicle description and license plate number, the Sheriff’s Office said. The deputies then located the vehicle and Melena on Monterey Avenue, near the Modesto Airport.
The family identified Melena as the woman who tried to take the child, the Sheriff’s Office said.
“The family’s vigilance and quick actions prevented the girl from being abducted,” the news release said.
This story was originally published September 22, 2021 at 5:18 AM.
