Man Tried To Kidnap Toddler, Threatening Her Mother With A Saw: LAPD

LOS ANGELES, CA —A man suspected of trying to kidnap a toddler from a Downtown Los Angeles train station and threatening to kill the child's mother when she intervened has been arrested, police announced Monday.

The arrest stems from an incident that happened on Aug. 26 at the train station near Gateway Plaza. A man approached a mother sitting with her three-year-old daughter and placed his finger on the toddler's chest and kissed her forehead, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

"Once the suspect grabbed the harness of the stroller, the mother pushed the suspect away," the LAPD said in a written statement. "The suspect threatened to kill her as he removed a handsaw from his backpack before fleeing."

Investigators later identified the suspect as 35-year-old Noel Gallegos, and on Sept 12, they learned he was in custody on an unrelated matter, according to the LAPD. The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office charged him with attempted kidnapping and two counts of criminal threats.

Anyone with information about the case is urged to call the Los Angeles Police Department Central Area Detectives at (213) 833-3750. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org.