Woman Suspected Of Taking Daughter From Child's Guardian

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — A 28-year-old Los Angeles woman suspected of snatching her daughter from the child's legal guardian in Moreno Valley was being held without bail today.

Nakia Shaunte Criddell was arrested and booked into the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside Thursday on suspicion of kidnapping, child endangerment, burglary and attempted robbery.

According to Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Craig Roberts, Criddell allegedly forced her way into her aunt's home in the 12000 block of Romford Court about 5:30 a.m. Thursday and grabbed her 8-year-old daughter, overcoming the victim's resistance and fleeing with her in a sedan.

Roberts said detectives quickly developed leads that the suspect was headed for the Los Angeles metropolitan area, and they enlisted the assistance of sheriff's deputies and California Highway Patrol officers there.

Criddell was ultimately determined to be in Manhattan Beach, and she was located with her daughter inside a business on Sepulveda Boulevard, where law enforcement officers took the suspect into custody without incident, according to Roberts.

He said the girl was returned to her aunt, unharmed.

- City News Service