Woman caught on CCTV trying to kidnap four-year-old from a US McDonald's

Police in LA have arrested and charged a woman following a brazen kidnapping attempt.

The woman, later identified as Maralyn Ramos, was caught on CCTV trying to walk out of a McDonald's restaurant with a four-year-old child on Tuesday afternoon.

Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) released the shocking footage of the kidnapping attempt on Twitter in a plea for help.

CCTV shows the moment the woman walked up to and grabbed the toddler, putting him on her hip and walking out.

It's understood a little girl alerted adults as the woman walked out of the South LA store on Olympic Blvd & Central Ave around 3:15pm.

"Fortunately witnesses intervened & she let the child go," LAPD tweeted.

After witnesses confronted the woman, police say she fled on foot.

They later updated the public on the arrest, thanking the community for their help in finding the woman.

"The suspect has been identified as Maralyn Ramos and arrested in the area of Agatha and San Pedro Street. She was booked for 207(A) PC-Kidnapping and her bail is $100,000," they wrote.

Earlier on Wednesday there was another similar abduction attempt in on a four-year-old boy, with LAPD detectives still investigating if there are any links between the two incidents.

"The suspect approached the victim, pulled his hand, and attempted to walk away with the victim," they said in a statement on their website.

"The victim was walking alongside a family member when the attempt kidnap occurred.

"The suspect was stopped by a witness in the area and fled from the scene on foot."