Background: The Shell gas station located at 5 North Federal Highway in Deerfield Beach, Florida (Google Maps). Inset: Ivanna Nobile (Broward County Sheriff”s Office).
A disturbing incident unfolded at a Florida gas station when a woman allegedly attempted to kidnap a young boy, boldly declaring to the child’s grandmother, “I’m taking him,” authorities report.
Ivanna Nobile, 38, now faces charges of false imprisonment involving a child under 13 and burglary, as confirmed by Broward County jail records.
The unsettling event occurred on a Tuesday morning at the Shell gas station on 5 North Federal Highway in Deerfield Beach. The grandmother had stopped to refuel when her white Honda Pilot began emitting smoke, prompting her to seek assistance, according to a complaint affidavit examined by Law&Crime.
While she was standing beside her vehicle, the grandmother noticed a woman, later identified as Nobile, approaching. Nobile handed her what appeared to be an Argentinian ID, claiming it belonged to her aunt, though her intentions remain unclear, as stated by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office.
The grandmother initially dismissed Nobile as harmless until she saw her open the rear passenger door of the Pilot, where her 5-year-old grandson was seated, the court documents reveal.
Witnesses recounted that Nobile seized the boy’s arm, stating, “I’m taking him; this child is the wrong color to be with this woman.” The grandmother quickly intervened, positioning herself between Nobile and the child. The tense situation was reportedly observed by several other customers at the gas station.
One woman said she was pumping gas when she heard the grandmother “screaming for help stating that this woman was trying to kidnap her kid.” When the witness looked over, she saw the suspect “pulling on” the child’s arm, per the affidavit.
Officers arrived on the scene at about 9:30 a.m. after receiving a 911 call from the grandma. After they investigated, Nobile was detained, and she “refused to speak” with the officer writing the affidavit.
The grandmother said she has had custody of her grandson since January, and she had never met Nobile before the incident.
Nobile had no prior convictions, authorities said. She is currently being held for immigration purposes, jail records show.
