Poughkeepsie Woman, 2 Kids Kidnapped At Knifepoint: Police

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — A city of Poughkeepsie woman and her two young children spent part of Monday in terror when, police said, they were kidnapped at knifepoint by a convicted felon.

Around 6:45 p.m. Monday, the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department received a call from a woman reporting an attempted robbery, according to a news release.

Police said the victim said a man — identified later as Derrick Woodhouse, 49, of the city of Poughkeepsie — approached her while she was sitting in her parked car with two children, ages 3 and 5, on Spruce Street in the city.

Woodhouse displayed a knife, police said, and told the woman that he was getting into her car and she needed to do what he said or he would hurt her children.

After he got into her car, Woodhouse told the woman to drive to a store, at which he had her get money from her bank account, while he waited in the car displaying a knife, according to authorities.

The woman did what she was told to do, police said, and got back into her car with the money.

At knifepoint, Woodhouse had her drive to another location.

Once there, the woman began crying, which caused him to begin screaming at her, authorities said.

Police said pedestrians in the area took notice of what was happening, which made Woodhouse get out of the car and leave without taking the money.

He then fled from the scene.

During the investigation, police said they discovered Woodhouse had four violent felony convictions in his record.

Shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday, officers responded to a suspicious person inside an apartment building at 559 Main St.

When police arrived, they found Woodhouse, who was arrested without incident and taken to police headquarters.

Woodhouse is awaiting arraignment for the following charges:

• Second-degree kidnapping, a felony
• First-degree attempted robbery, a felony
• Endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor

Anyone with information about this incident or anything similar is encouraged to call the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department at 845-451-7577.