A routine holiday shopping trip to a Walmart near Portland, Oregon, turned violent just days before Christmas when a man allegedly attempted to kidnap a child from a stroller. The child’s father intervened, and the confrontation ended with a knife on the floor and the suspect, 37-year-old Denis Omar Villalobos, under arrest.
According to multiple reports, on the evening of December 21, 2025, at the Walmart Supercenter on North Adair Street in Cornelius, a small town about 30 miles west of Portland, multiple 911 callers reported a man trying to grab a child from a stroller inside the store. Deputies say the suspect had been following the family through the aisles and appeared focused on the child before suddenly lunging toward the stroller.
The child’s father immediately confronted the man and prevented him from taking the child. But during the struggle, investigators say the suspect pulled out a knife. The father continued fighting, and the suspect dropped the knife during the altercation.
The child was uninjured, and the father suffered only minor injuries before the suspect fled the store. Meanwhile, witnesses provided law enforcement with the license plate number of a white Jeep connected to the suspect.
What happened to Villalobos?
Police later located the vehicle and arrested Villalobos of Cornelius a short distance away. Villalobos was taken into custody without further incident and booked into the Washington County Jail.
On December 29, 2025, a Washington County grand jury indicted Villalobos on multiple felony counts related to the attempted abduction and assault. Authorities have said they believe the child was specifically targeted and that the suspect’s actions were deliberate rather than accidental.
As of early January 2026, jail records show Villalobos remains in custody in Washington County. Court records indicate that he is being held pending upcoming hearings, and prosecutors have not announced bail. No plea has been entered, and the case remains active.
Holidays 2025 were rough at some Walmart locations
A judge has ordered a 21-year-old woman detained after prosecutors say she was caught on video using fuel to ignite a fire that caused $5 million in damage to Walmart in Woodstock, which was “full of customers.” https://t.co/1cMQjYCw1c
— Lake & McHenry County Scanner (@LMCScanner) January 2, 2026
Other high-profile crimes were reported at Walmart stores nationwide during the busy holiday shopping period. According to local news outlet LMCS, in Woodstock, Illinois, a woman is accused of setting fire to baby cribs inside a Walmart on New Year’s Eve, allegedly using camping fuel and causing an estimated $5 million in damage, according to prosecutors.
In response, law enforcement agencies nationwide are urging shoppers to stay vigilant, keep children nearby, and report any suspicious activity to store staff or local police immediately.
In Oregon, investigators say the quick actions of a parent and the willingness of witnesses to call 911 and share critical information helped stop an alleged kidnapping attempt before it escalated further.
