crimes and misdemeanors

Woman Taken Into Custody After Trying to Steal a Baby in Chelsea

On Friday night, the NYPD took 46-year-old Tara Anne McDonald into custody after a disturbing Thursday afternoon incident in Chelsea: A nanny was pushing an eight-month-old baby in a stroller near 17th Street and Eighth Avenue when she was approached by McDonald, who began mumbling and trying to pull the carriage away. “The lady that grabbed the stroller by the handle – she was saying, ‘You’re a liar! These are my babies!’” said UPS driver William Marte, who was nearby.

When the nanny began yelling for help, Marte walked over and told McDonald to “Please, let her go, leave her alone,” and she fled. As it turns out, McDonald — who witnesses say frequently hangs around the area — has been arrested over a dozen times: five times for attempted kidnappings, and twice for successful ones. She has been brought to Bellevue, where she’s undergoing a psychiatric evaluation. The baby, meanwhile, slept through the entire thing.

Woman Taken Into Custody After Attempted Kidnap