By Jorge Casuso

August 22, 2024 – A homeless woman who has been arrested multiple times out of state faces kidnapping charges after attempting to abduct and flee with an 8-year-old girl Wednesday afternoon, police said.

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 Licoln Boulevard, police said.

The suspect approached the child, who was helping an adult neighbor load several pets into his car in the alley, said Lt. Erika Aklufi, police department spokeswoman.

“The suspect approached and said she was from the Russian police and was taking the child with her,” Aklufi said. “Perrone knelt down and put her arms around the child, which led to a tug-of-war between the neighbor and Perrone.”

“The neighbor put the child in the front seat of his car and told Perrone to drive away. She ignored him and tried to open the car door.

“When the neighbor confronted her again, Perrone pulled out a switchblade” before fleeing down the alley toward Gelson’s Market, Aklufi said.

When officers responded to the 911 call, they found Perrone standing next to a white BMW in the parking lot of the store, where police believe he lived.

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

According to police, Perrone has been arrested several times out of state for assault, resisting arrest, drug possession and trespassing.

She was recently arrested by the LAPD’s Pacific Division on charges of assault with a deadly weapon but was released due to lack of evidence, police said.

Perrone has warrants out for his arrest in New Hampshire for forgery and stalking, and he is currently on probation in Nevada for a 2024 conviction of assault with a deadly weapon, police said.

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

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

Wednesday’s incidents occurred five weeks after a 31-year-old homeless woman 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 abducted by Breanna Taylor Shields (“Four-year-old girl kidnapped, suspect arrested,” July 12, 2024).

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

Anyone with information about Wednesday’s attempted kidnapping or the suspect should email Detective Jauregui at [email protected] or Sgt. Haro at [email protected] or call the Watch Commander desk 24 hours a day at (310) 458-8427.