Daytona Beach PD: Woman accused of trying to abduct girl was 'jealous'

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On Tuesday, police said a suspect accused of trying to grab a 6-year-old girl has been identified and was taken into custody.

It happened Sunday on Halifax Drive between Seabreeze and University boulevards in Daytona Beach. Police said Salimah McCann, 30, attempted to grab the child as she was walking home from church with her mother. The two fought back. According to police, McCann has a history of mental illness and she was overcome with jealousy.

"She lost custody of her child and she admitted she was depressed as a result of it being Mother's Day," Daytona Beach police Chief Jakari Young said.

McCann is ordered held without bond, accused of attempted kidnapping and battery. Police say McCann is a military veteran with a mental health history. They say she told them seeing 6-year-old Esmeralda Grainger walking happily hand in hand with mom set McCann off.

"She said she really had no intent on kidnapping the child, but she was very upset by seeing that mother and daughter walking together. That triggered something inside of her," Young said.

Surveillance video shows the mother and child walking south on the sidewalk. The victims told police the suspect came at them walking north, and when they tried to move out of the way – not once, but twice – McCann blocked them. Later in the same video, you can see the suspect looking back toward the mother and child before walking into an apartment complex. The victims said McCann tried to separate them. The child fell to the ground but came back, fighting and kicking the suspect.

"We’re dealing with a mentally ill suspect who is now in custody. I don't stand here and make any excuse for her actions but her history is what it is," Young said.

Police say the suspect is, for the most part, homeless. They say she was around an apartment complex near where the alleged kidnapping happened, because it's where her ex lives. He has a protection order against her. So when she came back the day after the incident, he called police.

McCann was involuntarily committed to a hospital for six months last year after being charged with arson. That charge is still pending, along with a host of new ones, including battery on a law enforcement officer. McCann allegedly kicked an officer during Monday night's arrest.

The mother and child were very shaken up but they were otherwise not hurt.

The 6-year-old is in kindergarten at Lourdes Academy, a Catholic elementary school, and they attend church there as well, Our Lady of Lourdes Church. Mass was over, and the two were on the sidewalk walking home when a stranger walking toward them tried to pull the child away.

"I was walking with my mom taking pictures, and then a girl came down with me, like punching my mom's hands with me," Esme said.

With her father's permission, WESH 2 spoke with Esme. The kindergartner feels safe now with her parents, but what an ordeal. Esme and mom were walking home from church, heading south on Halifax, when the female suspect walked toward them on the sidewalk in the 700 block and grabbed Esme, who was holding mom's hand. The stranger literally karate-chopped their hands to break them apart. Esme's dad, Kelly Grainger, says the little girl, who had been holding the tooth she just lost in her hand, at first thought the suspect was after her tooth. Esme fell to the ground.

"Nobody stopped up and down the road. Thankfully she got up and was able to scream and kick at the offender," Kelly Grainger said. "My heart just dropped, and it's almost like it went into just a tunnel vision."

Grainger says he is still upset and was angry at first but has had time to think.

"This person could be mentally ill, just disturbed. Maybe going through some tough times, and I thought, ‘What would God want me to do?’ Just show compassion," Grainger said.

Watch the full news conference:

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