Pair With Abducted Girl, 2, End Barricade Peacefully

A prison escapee and his pregnant girlfriend surrendered peacefully Thursday night after more than 10 hours barricaded inside a Long Beach apartment with the woman’s 2-year-old daughter, whom, authorities said, they had kidnaped and used as a hostage.

Long Beach Police Chief Larry Binkley said the child was unhurt and the two adults were arrested without injury. “It’s the right way to end a day, with everyone safe,” he said.

The little girl, identified as Kristan Ricketts, was turned over to juvenile authorities pending arrival of her father, Tommy Ricketts, 28, of North Las Vegas, from whom she had been taken at gunpoint on Wednesday.

The child’s mother, Kathleen Ricketts-Lichtenwalner, also 28, was booked on suspicion of kidnaping and her companion, identified as Russell Lee Hobbs, 26, was booked on the same charge--and also as a prison escapee from Grand Rapids, Mich. Details of Hobbs imprisonment were not immediately available.

Bound and Beaten

Police said the incident began Wednesday afternoon, when Hobbs broke into Tommy Ricketts’ home, tied him up, beat him with a vase, robbed him of an undetermined amount of cash and left with Kristan.

North Las Vegas Police Lt. Dorin Goudreau said residents of Ricketts’ neighborhood reported having seen his ex-wife--Kristan’s mother--driving around the area at about the time of the break-in, and Ricketts later received a call demanding ransom for the girl.

Goudreau said the girl’s parents have battled over custody of Kristan, and Ricketts had only recently gained custody.

North Las Vegas police contacted Long Beach authorities with a description of Hobbs’ car and information that Lichtenwalner’s last known address was an apartment in the 1600 block of Ximeno Avenue.

Found Getaway Car

Police found the getaway car parked on Ximeno, then called for backup units and hostage negotiators when they heard a child crying inside the apartment.

Contacted by telephone, the couple refused to give up, but asked for Chinese food--which was brought to them “in the hope of trading it for the little girl,” a police spokesman said.

Negotiators, however, said they were sure the couple was about to surrender because in one of the telephone conversations the mother said:

“We’ve got to get out. It’s not safe in here for Kristan anymore . . . . “

Times staff writers Daryl Kelley and Craig Quintana contributed to this article.