Child safe after 13-hour standoff ends peacefully

MARYSVILLE, Wash. — A 4-year-old girl was inside an apartment in Marysville for 13 hours on Monday during a police standoff.

Police said the incident began around 3:30 a.m. when a woman told dispatchers a man in the apartment on Cedar Avenue near Grove Street had hit her.

After the attack, the woman left the apartment as her 4-year-old slept inside, police said.

When police arrived, the 32-year-old man, who is not the child's father, refused to come out.

Police said negotiators were in almost constant communication with the man, who was unarmed and did not threaten the child.

Police were in contact with the child as well.

KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter Alexandra Limon said about 18 officers, including a 12-person SWAT team, were at the scene on Monday morning.

"We do not feel she is in any danger at this point, and he's just not willing to come out. He knows that he's in some trouble and doesn't want to come out at this time," Marysville Police Cmdr. Robb Lamoureux said.

Officers said they had been dealing with an ongoing situation at the apartment for a few days and had received several calls from the man.

The standoff ended just before 5 p.m. on Monday.

No one was hurt.

The man faces charges of assault, police obstruction and unlawful imprisonment.

KIRO