Standoff Results in Child Endangerment Arrest

On June 25, 2023, at 10:02 a.m., the Chico Police Dispatch Center received a call from a woman stating she was going to kill herself in front of her kids and cause a standoff with the police. Officers arrived at the residence, an apartment in the 1500 block of Locust Street, and attempted to contact the woman by phone. During a short initial conversation with the woman, officers determined she was in an extreme paranoid and delusional state of mind and was not going to be cooperative with our attempts to provide her and her two children help.

Officers attempted several means of communication with the woman in attempts to convince her to come out to officers or send her unharmed kids out to safety. Members of the Chico Police Department’s Crisis Negotiations Team as well as Bute County Behavioral Health’s Mobile Crisis Team were called to the scene to assist and after just short of four hours of negotiations, the woman voluntarily exited the home and surrendered to police. She was safely taken into custody. The two children, aged 11 and 13, were scared but unharmed.

The woman, identified as 34-year-old Natalie Holbert, was found not to meet the specific criteria for a Mental Health Hold but was placed under arrest for 273a(b) PC; Child Endangerment. She was transported to the Butte County Jail, and the two children were placed into protective custody.

The Chico Police Department received assistance from Butte Medics and Cal Fire during this incident, in addition to the aforementioned Butte County Behavioral Health Crisis worker. Sections of Locust Street and E. 16th Street were closed for nearly four hours.

Location: 1500 block of Locust Street

Victims: Withheld

Suspect: Natalie Holbert, 34 years of age from Chico

Supervisor: OIC E. Marshall K24

Commander: Lt. T. Tupper L7