A trio of preteen Washington girls have been praised as heroes for stopping their six-year-old neighbor from being kidnapped.
Three 11-year-old girls saved their young friend from being abducted last week, according to a social media post by the Kent Police Department.
“We want to start this post by acknowledging the selfless bravery of three 11-year-old girls. They saw their friend and neighbor being taken by a stranger, and stepped in without pause to bring her to safety,” the police department wrote in a Facebook post.
“We are so proud of you. You are amazing.”
The incident began on the evening of July 16 when an ice cream truck entered an apartment complex, prompting children to gather in the parking lot.
Three girls were walking toward the ice cream truck to get their treats when they noticed their six-year-old neighbor being forcibly pulled by a man. He was holding the victim by the wrist as she resisted and demanded he let her go. The girl looked afraid, and the man did not appear to be a relative, according to the police department.
The girl’s young brother was nearby and kept calling her to come to him, but the victim could not break free from the suspect, authorities said.
The three preteen girls immediately took action and began recording the incident on their cell phones. They remarkably even approached the man “without hesitation” and confronted him, police said. The suspect picked up the victim and tried to “speed walk” away as they approached. But the girls persisted and kept confronting him, asking the man if he knew their friend. The suspect told them that he knew her, but the victim shook her head from side to side, appearing to indicate that he was lying.
At that point, the suspect let the girl go, authorities said. After he put her down and left the scene, the three girls grabbed their friend and took her back to her apartment. The victim’s parents later confirmed to authorities that the man who tried to take her was a stranger.
The 40-year-old suspect, a Kent resident, was arrested and booked into the King County Jail. He has been charged with kidnapping. Police did not disclose his name in the release.
“The little girl is now safe, the man is in jail, and we are impressed beyond words at the maturity and protectiveness displayed by these preteen girls,” police said. “Without their intervention, the excellent description of the suspect from the 911 caller, and the swift response by multiple KPD Officers, the outcome would have changed dramatically.”
Police praised the girls for their quick thinking and selfless bravery in thwarting the abduction and also credited officers for their response.
“This outcome took a village. We love our village.” authorities said.
Detectives said the case is still under investigation. The Kent Police Department has urged anyone who witnessed the crime to come forward and contact detectives.