By Jorge Casuso

August 22, 2024 -- A homeless woman with multiple out-of-state arrests faces kidnapping charges after attempting to grab and run off with an 8-year-old girl Wednesday afternoon, according to police.

Courtney Perrone, 39, was taken into custody after Santa Monica police officers responded to a call reporting a suspicious person in the 800 block of the alley south of Maple Street near Lincoln Boulevard, police said.

The suspect approached the child, who was in the alley helping an adult neighbor put several pets into his vehicle, said Lt. Erika Aklufi, the Police Department spokesperson.

"The suspect approached saying she is Russian police and that she is taking the child," Aklufi said. "Perrone knelt and put her arms around the child and a tug of war between the neighbor and Perrone ensued.

"The neighbor put the child in the front seat of his vehicle and told Perrone to leave. She ignored him and attempted to open the door of the car.

"When the neighbor confronted her again, Perrone produced a switchblade knife" before fleeing down the alley towards Gelson's market, Aklufi said.

Officers responding to the call located Perrone standing in the store’s parking lot next to a white BMW, where police believe Perrone was living.

She was positively identified by witnesses and taken into custody, Akklufi said.

Perrone has multiple prior out-of-state arrests for assault and battery, resisting arrest, possession of controlled substance and trespassing, according to police.

She was recently arrested by LAPD’s Pacific Division for assault with a deadly weapon but was released for insufficient evidence, police said.

Perrone has outstanding warrants from New Hampshire for forgery and stalking and is currently on probation out of Nevada for a 2024 assault with a deadly weapon conviction, according to police.

"This is her first contact with the SMPD," Aklufi said.

Perrone will be arraigned Friday and faces felony charges of attempted kidnapping and false imprisonment, police said. She will also be charged with brandishing a deadly weapon, a misdemeanor.

Wednesday's incidents comes five weeks after a 31-year-old woman struggling with homelessness kidnapped a four-year-old girl on July 12.

The girl was eating with her grandmother at a restaurant near Lincoln and Pico boulevards when she was kidnapped by Breanna Taylor Shields ("Four-year-old Girl Kidnapped, Suspect Arrested," July 12, 2024).

After an intensive search by more than 30 sworn and civilian personnel, officers arrested Shields at the Holiday Motel on 11th and Pico Boulevard, where she was holding the kidnapped child

Anyone with information about Wednesday's kidnapping attempt or the suspect should email Detective Jauregui at Martin.Jauregui@santamonica.gov or Sgt. Haro at David.Haro@santamonica.gov, or call the Watch Commander desk 24 hours a day at (310) 458-8427.