Joe Montana had a scary incident happen at his Malibu, California home on Saturday.
The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback and his wife, Jennifer Montana, say they confronted a woman who broke into their home and tried to kidnap their 9-month-old grandchild, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
“Mr. Montana stated an unknown female had just entered his residence, kidnapped his grandchild, then fled the location without the child,” LASD told TODAY in a statement. “Mr. Montana told them their nine-month-old grandchild was sleeping in the playpen when an unknown female entered the residence and removed the child from the playpen and held it in her arms.
“Mr. Montana, and his wife Jennifer, confronted the female, attempted to de-escalate the situation, and asked for the suspect to give back their grandchild. A tussle ensued and Mrs. Montana was able to safely pry the child out of the suspects arms.”
Fortunately, no one was injured, including the baby. The suspect fled the location, but deputies searched the area, and she was subsequently taken into custody and charged with kidnapping and burglary.
The four-time Super Bowl champion and his wife of 35 years have four children together: Alexandra Whitney, Elizabeth Jean, Nathaniel “Nate” Joseph and Nicholas Alexander. It’s unclear who the grandchild belongs to at this time.
On Sunday, Montana, 64, publicly acknowledged the incident, tweeting, “Thank you to everyone who has reached out. Scary situation, but thankful that everybody is doing well. We appreciate respect for our privacy at this time.”
Fans responded with an outpouring of love and support for the couple.
One person wrote, “Thank you Jesus for having you be at the right place, and at the right time. Praying for healing, Gods , mercy, and protection over you and those you love!”
Another added, “Good job on the thwarting of the intruders plans glad you all are safe! Pretty scary stuff to even think about!”