Woman suspected of attempting to kidnap girl, 4, from Santa Rosa Trader Joe's

A woman suspected of grabbing a 4-year-old girl Thursday morning at a Santa Rosa grocery store and carrying her into the parking lot is being held on a kidnapping charge, police said.

Tina Szczepanek, 41, a homeless woman from Lake County, was arrested outside Trader Joe’s on Santa Rosa Avenue, Sgt. Dave Marconi said.

Szczepanek is accused of picking up the girl as the child was putting away a small shopping cart near the store’s main entrance about 10:30 a.m., Marconi said.

According to a witness, Szczepanek said something like “she is mine” before carrying the girl into the parking lot.

At the time, the girl’s mother was watching her daughter from the checkout line, he said. The mother ran out of the store after Szczepanek, catching up to her about 30 feet away from the store, Marconi said.

She yelled at Szczepanek, who put the girl down and walked away, he said.

The mother and the girl did not know Szczepanek, Marconi said.

Police were called at 10:35 a.m., and Szczepanek was arrested in the parking lot. She was booked into the Sonoma County Jail.

You can reach Staff Writer Paul Payne at 707-568-5312 or paul.payne@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @ppayne.