A 4-Year-Old Girl Was Kidnapped While Her Grandma Paid For Their Food At Panda Express

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A 4-year-old girl is miraculously safe after being kidnapped from a Southern California Panda Express restaurant while her grandmother was paying for their order. The family went to the restaurant in Santa Monica around noon on Friday July 12, 2024.

According to witnesses, the grandmother had gone up to the counter to pay for their meal when the suspect lured the girl outside and started walking down the street with her. Once the grandmother noticed what had happened, she immediately called the police, who responded in under a minute.

The suspected kidnapper was identified as a woman in her 30s, thanks to security footage from the restaurant. "There were at least 30 of our department personnel out searching for her," Santa Monica police Lt. Erika Aklufi said. "That includes our officers, civilian personnel, our public services officers. We had a drone. We had a K9 out. Literally any available person was out looking for her."

After about 30 minutes, authorities found the woman at a nearby motel. Staff recognized her based on photographs shown by police, and revealed that the suspected kidnapper lived at the motel.

The girl was thankfully found unharmed and was returned her to her family. The suspect has been identified as 31-year-old Breanna Taylor Shields. She was charged with kidnapping and faces a possible sentencing enhancement due to the child’s age.