The NFL legend is being hailed as a hero.
NFL legend and former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana had quite the weekend, as he saved his baby grandchild from being abducted in their home. According to ABC News, a female intruder came into Montana's Malibu, California, home and snatched a child from a playpen before trying to make a getaway.
The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department released a statement about the incident, with Montana telling police that on Saturday evening, the 39-year-old woman entered the home where Montana and his wife were staying through an unlocked door, saw an infant and tried to steal the child. As the woman tried to walk away with the child, they "confronted the female, attempted to de-escalate the situation, and asked for the suspect to give back their grandchild," according to the LASD. "A tussle ensued and Mrs. Montana was able to safely pry the child out of the suspect's arms."
After the child was taken back from the woman, she then ran out of the house.
Police officers were reportedly close by working on another matter, and were flagged down by someone inside the home. They were able to find the intruder not far from where the alleged act took place, and the woman was booked on kidnapping and burglary charges.
"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," Montana said in a tweet Sunday afternoon.
Montana, who turned 64 this summer, is a four-time Super Bowl champion and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame back in 2000, which was his first year of eligibility. As the 49ers' quarterback, Montana won nearly three times as many playoff games (14) as he lost (five). Along with his 4-0 record in Super Bowls, Montana posted a 2-0 playoff record against Mike Ditka's Bears, defeating Chicago in the 1984 and '88 NFC title games. His 288-yard, three-touchdown performance against the Bears in the '88 title game, played in sub-freezing conditions inside Chicago's Soldier Field, is one of the more underrated performances of Montana's career.
(This story was originally published by CBS Sports on Sunday, Sept. 27)
UPDATE:
The intruder, Sodsai Predpring Dalzell, appeared in court on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to the two felony counts against her, her attorney, Ayinde Jones, confirms to ET. A preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 20.
“Ms. Dalzell recognizes the negative impact and undue heartache her actions have caused to the Montana family. She asks for forgiveness at this time and will focus her efforts going forward on addressing the factors in her life which led to this unfortunate incident," Jones said in a statement to ET. "Our prayers are with the Montana family. We will be working diligently with the Los Angeles District Attorney's office to find a reasonable resolution to this case.”
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