SANTA ROSA, CA — Officers in Santa Rosa arrested a woman on suspicion of attempted child abduction earlier this week, police said.
On Monday just after 8 a.m., officers received a report regarding a mother walking with her young children when she was confronted by another woman.
The mother was in the 700 block of Seventh Street with her toddler and a 10-month-old baby when an unknown woman aggressively approached them and prevented them from leaving the area, the Santa Rosa Police Department said in a statement Tuesday.
The suspect allegedly demanded access to the baby, who was strapped into a stroller.
The woman said she was going to take the child and reached into the stroller, grabbing at the baby. She then allegedly pulled on the stroller and continued to make statements about taking the baby.
The mother called out for help, and a passing motorist stopped to help. The suspect fled the area before officers arrived.
Neither child suffered physical injury.
On Tuesday, detectives found a photo of a person of interest that was captured by an area security camera. At about 1:10 p.m., an officer saw a woman matching the photograph in the area of Second and D streets.
The woman was arrested on suspicion of attempted kidnapping, child endangerment, and violating her pretrial release.
Police believe the same suspect approached a woman walking her dog on Slater Street, where the suspect allegedly challenged the woman unprovoked and followed her.
Copyright © 2026 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.
###
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Rohnert Park Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.