Yara Vanessa Pineda : “California Woman Arrested for Kidnap Attempt”

LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – Yara Vanessa Pineda, a 27-year-old California woman previously arrested for attempting to kidnap a child from a Target store, was arrested once more on Tuesday for similar charges.

The Los Angeles Police Department responded to Seoul International Park in Koreatown after reports that Pineda had approached several children at the playground, picking them up before being confronted by their parents and letting them go.

Witnesses described seeing Pineda engaging in altercations with the parents when asked to leave the park.

Witnesses Recount Frightening Encounter

According to witnesses, the scene at the park was described as chaotic, with children running away from Pineda as she attempted to grab them. Anwar, a young boy at the park, shared his experience, saying, “There was a crazy lady running around, and she was picking up little kids, and the kids were running from her.”

He further added, “She was catching them and running away with them. She asked me for candy and I said, ‘No!’ and I ran away.”

Anwar mentioned that Pineda had picked up his sister and later pushed her to the ground, causing distress among the children and their families at the park.

Parents Intervene to Protect Children

Alberto Lopez, a parent at the park, recounted the moment when Pineda tried to grab his young son. He described Pineda as appearing homeless and shared, “I said, ‘Don’t touch my boy,’ and she tried but I said, ‘Don’t touch him!'”

Another parent mentioned how Pineda had approached their child from behind and grabbed them, causing panic and fear before letting go upon hearing the parent’s screams.

Police were called to the scene, and Pineda attempted to flee before being apprehended by officers with the use of a taser. Witnesses reported Pineda throwing her bags and spitting at the police upon their arrival.

Previous Arrest and Release

Pineda had been previously arrested on February 25 for trying to kidnap a 4-year-old boy from a Target store in Westlake. In that incident, she allegedly grabbed the boy and carried him out of the store before putting him down when confronted by his parents.

The boy’s family confirmed they had no prior connection to Pineda. Public records show Pineda had been released from jail about a week before the recent park incident.