Woman arrested for attempting to kidnap boy, trespassing on school campus in Vacaville

VACAVILLE, Calif. -- Vacaville police said a woman tried to kidnap a 4-year-old boy while his father was dropping off his older sibling at Cooper Elementary School Thursday morning.

Police responded around 8 a.m. to calls about a woman with erratic and concerning behavior near the school located at 750 Christine Drive. The woman was reportedly taking pictures of vehicles and individuals, police said.

As the father was dropping off the boy's older sibling, Aileen Caringal, 56, of Vacaville, allegedly approached the 4-year-old boy and asked if he was ready to go to school. Caringal allegedly grabbed the boy's hand and began leading him away from the campus, police Lt. Mark Donaldson said.

The boy's father questioned her and Caringal said she was a teacher and the boy, who she referred to as Brian even though that's not his name, was in her class, Donaldson said.

Caringal walked with the boy about 15 feet away before the father grabbed the boy from her, and she insisted she was the boy's teacher and she would call the chief of police if the parent wouldn't allow her to take the boy, Donaldson said.

Another adult at the scene took the two siblings into the school while the father waited for police to arrive. Carnigal ran to her home nearby in the 700 block of Christine Drive. She was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and trespassing on a school campus while interfering with children, Donaldson said.

Caringal was booked into Solano County Jail at 3:14 p.m. Thursday under $250,000 bail. Police and the Vacaville Unified School District also plan to obtain a restraining order against Caringal, Donaldson said.