By Jorge Casuso

Breanna Taylor Shields, 31, was arrested at 12:37 p.m. at the Holiday Motel on 11th and Pico Boulevard, where she was holding the kidnapped child, after an intensive police search ("Four-year-old Girl Kidnapped, Suspect Arrested," July 12, 2024. Santa Monica police this week will ask the LA County District Attorney to charge Shields with kidnapping, which carries an enhanced sentence, said Lt. Erika Aklufi, the Police Department spokesperson.

"I would characterize her as having episodes of homelessness as she was staying in the hotel," Aklufi said.

Police did not conduct a mental health evaluation of Shields, who "is now in the care of the County and they will decide if that is necessary," she said.

Shields was booked for kidnapping Friday and is eligible for a sentencing enhancement, police said.

Under the California Penal Code, "Every person who forcibly, or by any other means of instilling fear, steals or takes, or holds, detains, or arrests any person" is guilty of kidnapping.

Kidnapping is punishable by "imprisonment in the state prison for three, five, or eight years," according to the code.

As of deadline, police did not have information on whether Shields has a criminal record. A Los Angeles County inmate search does not show she has been detained for any other crimes.

She is scheduled to appear in LAX Superior court on Tuesday.

Shields was arrested Friday afternoon after police received a "frantic" call from the victim's grandmother from a restaurant near Lincoln and Pico boulevards.

More than 30 sworn and civilian personnel flooded the area, searching for the subject described as "a heavyset white female in her 30s," before finding her at the motel within less than half an hour.

"It appears she has been residing at the Holiday Motel for an extended period of time, but it is too soon to confirm any (further) details," police officials said Friday.