Long Beach great-grandfather thwarts alleged kidnapping of infant in stroller

A seventy-nine-year-old great-grandfather is being hailed as a hero after fighting off a woman who allegedly attempted to kidnap his fourteen-month-old great-granddaughter.

The harrowing incident occurred just after noon on Monday, 6 April 2026, as the man was pushing the child in a stroller near Laurelton Boulevard and West Penn Street.

According to a Long Beach Police Department press release, forty-year-old Heather Magone followed the pair before attempting to unbuckle the infant.

Surveillance footage captured the elderly man wrestling the suspect to the ground to prevent the abduction. Despite Magone reportedly "clawing, biting, and grabbing" at him, the great-grandfather managed to pin her down with one arm while maintaining a firm grip on the stroller with the other.

"He’s almost 80 years old, and he fought with his life," the child’s mother told ABC 7 NY on Thursday. "It could have just ended so much, so much worse."

Officer Gabrielle Gustafson arrived at the scene within sixty seconds of receiving multiple emergency calls regarding the struggle.

Police stated that Magone, who has no relation to the family, falsely claimed the baby was hers during the altercation.

Long Beach Police Deputy Inspector Stefan Chernaski praised the man’s remarkable bravery and awareness under extreme pressure. Following the intervention, Magone was arrested and charged with attempted kidnapping.

The suspect was arraigned on Tuesday and is currently being held on a $50,000 cash bail. The family has requested anonymity as they recover from the traumatic event.