Father Injured Fighting Off Knife-Wielding Kidnapper Who Attempted to Take His Baby Girl from Stroller in Walmart: Police
A father sustained injuries protecting his stroller-bound baby girl from a would-be kidnapper while he and his family were shopping in an Oregon Walmart.
The incident took place shortly before 8 p.m. on December 21 at a store in Cornelius, WCSO Cornelius Police confirmed in a Friday, Jan. 2 statement shared on Facebook.
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They noted that authorities from multiple offices responded to the crime after the unnamed father called it in. The suspect, identified as Denis Villalobos, was reportedly “armed with a knife.” He was arrested after fleeing the scene in a car.
“The father stopped the man from grabbing the child out of the stroller, but was injured during the confrontation,” WCSO Cornelius Police reported in their news release. “As they struggled, the attacker pulled a knife from a pocket, but fortunately dropped it.”
Authorities reported that Villalobos fled the scene in a white Jeep. However, they were able to track him down as a witness provided the license plate number.
“Villalobos was located a short distance from the Cornelius Walmart and arrested by a Forest Grove Officer,” the statement confirmed, noting that he was being held at the Washington County Jail.
After a Dec. 29 hearing, a Washington County Grand Jury issued an indictment for attempted kidnapping in the second degree, assault in the second degree, assault in the fourth degree, unlawful use of a weapon and menacing, per the press release.
Speaking to KOIN, WCSO Corporal David Huey described the incident as “an unusual circumstance,” adding that Villalobos was seemingly “stalking” the family as they shopped for groceries.
In a statement shared with Just Jared, Huey confirmed that the child was a baby under a year old. However, Huey did not have any updates on how the father is faring after his injuries.
Just Jared contacted the WCSO Cornelius Police and Walmart for additional comment on the incident, but did not hear back by the time of publication.