Photo: ABC 7
Thomas Dillingham (not pictured) has been arrested after allegedly walking through an open trailer door and snatching two-year-old girl Yesly Jimenez (pictured with her father, Nilson Jimenez) at knifepoint
'Crazed kidnapper' arrested after 'walking through open trailer door and snatching two-year-old girl from grandfather at knifepoint'
Has been charged with kidnap and assault with a deadly weapon
Thomas Dillingham nonchalantly strolled into the mobile home's open door (pictured) in Santa Clarita, Los Angeles, on Monday
A crazed man has been arrested after allegedly walking through an open trailer door and snatching a two-year-old girl from her grandfather at knifepoint.
Thomas Dillingham nonchalantly strolled into the mobile home in Santa Clarita, Los Angeles, on Monday and abducted toddler Yesly Jimenez, police said.
Dillingham, 40, allegedly threatened Yesly's grandfather with a butcher's knife before grabbing her and running from the trailer.
Heroic
neighbors chased after the alleged kidnapper, who had also tried to
escape with Yesly's 11-year-old brother, Jacob (center, with his
grandfather, right)
Heroic neighbors chased after the alleged kidnapper, who had also tried to escape with Yesly's 11-year-old brother, Jacob, ABC 7 reported.
Brother Jacob said he thought Dillingham was going to 'kill her or something' when he burst into the mobile home brandishing a knife.
Dillingham had only just moved to the trailer park and was said to have been acting strangely, peering through people's windows.
As he ran with Yesly in his arms, he started banging on one of the mobile home's doors and shouting for his wife.
Beth Bates, who lived in the property, said: 'I says, "What wife? You don't have a wife," and he then he goes, "Well, I've got the baby." And he says, "If I kill her - it's your fault".'
Dillingham hid in his own trailer, where he lives with his parents, until police arrived. He gave himself up without a fight, officials told CBS Los Angeles.
Dillingham, 40, allegedly threatened Yesly's grandfather with a butcher's knife before grabbing her and running from the trailer
Yesly had not been harmed but her mother, Cristal Jimenez (pictured), said the ordeal had a lasting affect on her daughter
Yesly had not been harmed but her mother, Cristal Jimenez, said the ordeal had a lasting affect on her daughter.
'It’s been a little bit weird. She’s not the same any more. She’s just really quiet. She doesn’t smile that much any more. So I think she’s a little bit traumatized right now.
'A man came into the motor home with a knife and he just grabbed my daughter from my dad and he was going to stab my dad.'
The girl's father, Nilson Jimenez, said: 'Thank God the police came quick, and they took my baby away from him.'
Dillingham has been charged with kidnapping a child with a knife and assault with a deadly weapon. If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison.
His bail has been set at $220,000.
The man's parents moved out of the trailer park the day after his arrest.
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