Santa Monica Abduction: 4-Year-Old Girl Safe, Suspect in Custody

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Written By Lori Walker

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A grandmother experienced a frightening situation on Friday when her 4-year-old granddaughter was kidnapped from a restaurant in Santa Monica.

The Milwaukee Police Department has referred criminal charges to the district attorney’s office related to the death of D’Vontaye Mitchell, a Black man who died after being restrained by hotel security guards. The charges include felony murder with a battery charge against four individuals.

Police Chief of Staff Heather Hough explained that the referral means there is probable cause for the charges, and now it’s up to the district attorney’s office to decide.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing Mitchell’s family, sees the charges as a step towards justice, emphasizing the severity of the actions leading to Mitchell’s death.

Mitchell, 43, was involved in a disturbance at a hotel on June 30, where security guards pinned him to the ground until police arrived. Part of the incident was recorded, showing Mitchell detained and pleading for help.

The medical examiner has preliminarily classified Mitchell’s death as a homicide, with final results pending. Mitchell’s family believes he was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time.

The incident has drawn comparisons to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020.

Security guards involved in Mitchell’s case have been suspended or fired, with investigations ongoing.

In another incident, a 4-year-old girl was abducted from a Panda Express in Santa Monica but was found safe less than 30 minutes later at a nearby motel. Breanna Taylor Shields, 31, was arrested and faces kidnapping charges.

Santa Monica police expressed sympathy for the girl’s family and vowed a thorough investigation.

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