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Colorado Walmart Shoppers Thwart Alleged Kidnapping Of ‘Young Child’
Kimberli Jones, 50, “grabbed a young child from a shopping cart” at Walmart on Feb. 9, the Alamosa Police Department said.
A Colorado woman was busted for allegedly attempting to kidnap a “young child,” whom she tried snatching from a shopping cart at a Walmart last week, according to authorities.
On Feb. 9, shoppers at a Walmart in Alamosa, Colorado subdued 50-year-old Kimberli Jones after she allegedly tried absconding with another shopper’s child, the Alamosa Police Department said in a press release.
Officers were dispatched to the discount retail chain on Thursday at around 1 p.m., after a female suspect, later identified as Jones, unsuccessfully attempted to abduct the minor from the child’s mother’s shopping cart.
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"Upon officers’ arrival, it was discovered that a female party grabbed a young child from a shopping cart and attempted to kidnap the child,” the Alamosa Police Department said in a statement. “Due to the quick actions of citizens within the store at the time of the incident, they were able to restrain the suspect until law enforcement arrived and reunited the young child back safely to [the] parents.”
The child was unharmed in the incident. Jones was later taken into police custody and charged with kidnapping, menacing, child abuse, and disorderly conduct.
“[T]here is no threat to the community at this time,” police added. "The Alamosa Police Department would like to thank the brave citizens, Wal-Mart [sic] staff, and community for the quick response and for being alert."
Police didn’t specify how many bystanders had intervened to restrain Jones.
“The civilians, the citizens that were involved in this — if they didn’t take action, who knows what could have happened,” Alamosa Police Chief Ken Anderson told Oxygen.com. “They potentially saved a life, saved a kidnapping that was in progress.”
Investigators hailed the good Samaritans as “heroes.”
“For them to have acted the way they acted, I think it was extremely brave,” Anderson added. “Really, they’re the heroes of the day.”
Law enforcement described Jones’ arrest as an “isolated incident.” The Alamosa police chief said he wasn’t aware whether Jones had a past criminal history. Authorities declined to comment any further regarding the pending case.
Jones is being held at the Alamosa County Jail, according to online jail records obtained by Oxygen.com. It’s unclear if the Blanco woman has retained legal representation to comment on her behalf. Jones’ next court hearing is scheduled for Feb. 14 at 10:30 a.m., additional court records show.
