Ventura Woman Charged With Trying To Kidnap Child Released From Jail

Monday March 27, 2023

    Updated--The Ventura woman accused of allegedly trying to kidnap a child at a local shopping center was released from jail Monday.

     56-year-old Christine C. Brown of Ventura had earlier pleaded not guilty to felony attempted kidnapping, misdemeanor child endangerment, and misdemeanor battery.

     According to court files, this is also being marked as a domestic violence case.

     She had been in jail since the incident and was being held without bail when on Monday the judge agreed to release her on what's known as conditional own recognizance where she must abide by a long list of conditions including staying away from all involved in the case and from the shopping center where the incident happened.

     The authorities say it happened around 6 PM on March 16th in the shopping center at Kimball and Telegraph roads in Ventura.

     The incident was witnessed by an off duty Ventura police officer who intervened.

     Police say the officer was leaving a store when he heard and then saw a 3-4 year old child screaming and crying and a man yelling for help and shouting at a woman to let go of the child.

     At one point during the struggle she allegedly kicked the man and then tried to punch him but struck the child instead.

     The off duty officer called 9-1-1 and then got between the man and woman.

     They say she ran off but was caught a short time later by other responding officers.

     The father told police as he was leaving the store the Brown came up, grabbed the child with both hands, and tried to lift it out of the shopping cart.

     No one was seriously injured in the incident.

     Brown is due back in court on April 10th.