Police Rescue Baby from Knife-Wielding Woman in Downtown

Officers carry the baby they rescued this morning

Police are happy to announce this afternoon that officers in downtown rescued a 4-month-old baby from a woman, who was "frantically waving" a steak knife on 7th Street, near Hope, this morning.

Around 8:35 a.m., a call came in about the woman, prompting three officers to respond. “They had a number of options from pepper spray to tasers, but the first thing they did was talk to the woman," explained Lt. Paul Vernon, heads of the LAPD Central Detective Division, in a statement. "As Officer Chris Green distracted her, Officer Arthur Gonzalez grabbed the woman’s arm and took the knife, while Officer Clinton Popham grabbed the baby. It all happened in a matter of seconds.”

Although the baby girl appears to be in good condition, she has not been identified. Detectives released photos of the child to aid in identifying her and for anyone to come forward with information about the woman and child’s recent history. 33-year-old Malika Johnson, who has had at least three prior arrests for child endangerment since 2004, was booked for endangering a child.