Deputies arrest woman for parental kidnapping following highway pursuit in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – Deputies arrested a 39-year-old woman on Thursday morning for parental kidnapping after a vehicle pursuit down Highway 101, according to the SBC Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's office said the one-year-old girl involved in the kidnapping was not physically injured, and that deputies released her to Social Services at the scene of the arrest.

According to officials, the woman kidnapped the child within the area of Santa Barbara County Social Services in Goleta just before 11:00 a.m. Thursday.

Deputies said they responded to the call and found the Canoga Park woman driving away, but when they tried to pull her over on Calle Real at Camino Del Remedio, the 39-year-old sped off and began the pursuit along southbound Highway 101.

The woman exited off Garden St and led the deputies through city streets, eventually losing the deputies in the area of W. Pedregosa and De La Vina St, according to the sheriff's office.

Officials said the Santa Barbara Police Department then took over, and eventually found the car, woman and child in the 200-block of E. Los Olivos St at 11:18 a.m.

The sheriff's office said officers arrested the 39-year-old without further incident and booked her into the Main Jail for the following: kidnapping (felony), child endangerment (felony), evading (felony), and driving under the influence (misdemeanor).

According to the sheriff's office, the woman's bail amount is pending.