A 52-year-old Mount Vernon woman is facing kidnapping and grand larceny charges after police say she got into a Mazda SUV with a child still inside and drove off, later telling officers she was on her way to police headquarters to report an unrelated string of neighborhood thefts and her own stolen pocketbook. The child's uncle chased down the vehicle and helped block it in near police headquarters before the child could be harmed.
According to Daily Voice, police say Tiauna Crump entered the vehicle at Birch Street and Westchester Avenue in Mount Vernon around 10:45 a.m. Tuesday. The report identifies her as Tiauna Crump and reports that she knew the child was inside the car at the time she allegedly took it; she told police she intended to drive the SUV directly to Mount Vernon police headquarters to report neighborhood thefts and a stolen pocketbook.
Family Pursuit Ends Near Police Headquarters
The child's uncle chased Crump's Mazda SUV through the streets of Mount Vernon before helping to box it in near police headquarters, according to the same report. Mount Vernon City Court is listed at 2 Roosevelt Square North, according to the City of Mount Vernon. The pursuit reportedly ended near police headquarters, where Crump claimed she was headed. According to the City of Mount Vernon, the Police Department is located at 2 Roosevelt Square North. Official listings give the department's number as 914-665-2500. City records show that Mount Vernon City Court is located on the second floor at 2 Roosevelt Square North and lists 914-831-6440 as its phone number.
The child was not injured, but she was taken to Montefiore Hospital for observation as a precaution, per the Hudson Valley Post's report. Medicare facility records list a hospital at 12 North 7th Avenue, but the report does not establish that this was the facility where the child was treated, according to Medicare facility records.
Charges Include Kidnapping And Grand Larceny
Crump faces a lengthy list of charges: second-degree kidnapping, third-degree grand larceny, third-degree criminal possession of stolen property, endangering the welfare of a child, and reckless endangerment, the outlet reports. She was formally arraigned in Mount Vernon City Court later Tuesday.
Second-degree kidnapping under New York Penal Law § 135.20 is classified as a Class B felony carrying a maximum sentence of up to 25 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 5 years for first-time offenders, according to New York Lawyers. Because that charge carries such a significant mandatory minimum, prosecutors will likely need to establish whether Crump intended to restrain and abduct the child or whether her primary intent was taking the vehicle itself — a distinction defense counsel is likely to challenge. The third-degree grand larceny count is also listed among the charges, but the supplied sources do not establish the property's value or sentencing information.
A Recognized Pattern Of Occupied-Vehicle Thefts
Cases like this one are not isolated. The national organization Kids and Car Safety documents hundreds of cases annually across the United States in which vehicles are stolen with unattended children inside, frequently during brief stops or in residential driveways. Broader vehicle theft numbers have actually been trending downward: National Insurance Crime Bureau data shows overall motor vehicle thefts in the U.S. dropped 17% in 2024, falling below one million incidents for the first time since 2021.
Westchester County government highlighted crime during County Executive Ken Jenkins's State of the County address, according to Westchester County government, but the supplied sources do not establish how index or property crimes changed in 2025 compared with the prior year. The supplied sources do not establish whether the county received a state grant through the state's Motor Vehicle Theft and Insurance Fraud Prevention Program.
Investigation Continues
Mount Vernon police say the investigation remains active. Anyone with information can contact the Mount Vernon Police Department Detective Division at (914) 665-2510, or submit an anonymous tip through the TIP411 system by texting the keyword MVPD along with a message to 847411.
It remains unclear whether a grand jury has taken up an indictment, what bail determination was set following Crump's arraignment, or whether any psychological evaluation has been ordered regarding her stated motivations for the incident. Those questions are expected to be addressed at future Mount Vernon City Court proceedings.
