A young girl who was abducted in Santa Monica was discovered inside a motel room Friday.
Santa Monica police received reports of the kidnapping at around 12:11 p.m.
A grandmother told police that her 4-year-old granddaughter had been kidnapped from a restaurant on the 1900 block of Lincoln Boulevard.
Officers arrived at the scene and began gathering images of the kidnapping suspect from nearby surveillance video. She was described as a heavyset white female in her 30s.
Around 30 officers and civilian personnel began searching the area for the woman.
At around 12:37 p.m., officers found the child inside a room at the Holiday Motel at 11th Street and Pico Boulevard.
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A young child who was abducted was discovered inside a Santa Monica motel room on July 12, 2024. (TNLA) -
The Holiday Motel located at 11th Street and Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica. (Google Earth) -
A young child who was abducted was discovered inside a Santa Monica motel room on July 12, 2024. (TNLA) -
A young child who was abducted was discovered inside a Santa Monica motel room on July 12, 2024. (TNLA)
The child was found unharmed and the suspect was taken into custody on kidnapping charges.
Authorities said the suspect, who was not identified, appeared to be living at the motel for an extended period of time.
The motive behind the kidnapping and whether the woman has a criminal history remains unclear.
“Our heartfelt best wishes go out to the child and her family as they deal with the shock of this ordeal,” Santa Monica police said. “We will do everything we can to make sure they are helped through this time and also to make sure no stone is left unturned in the investigation.”
Officials said the woman’s identity and photo will be released in the next 24 hours.