Three 11-year-old girls in Kent, Washington are being hailed as heroes after thwarting the alleged attempted kidnapping of their 6-year-old neighbor, police said.
In a statement Wednesday, Kent police detailed receiving a 911 call from a witness who observed a man attempt to take a young child. After the witness described the man, officers quickly arrived at the scene and chased the suspect down.
After the suspect was detained, three 11-year-old girls told the police that they were walking toward an ice cream truck when they noticed their 6-year-old neighbor being held by an unknown man, gripping her wrist. The child looked afraid and was telling the man to let her go, police said.
The girls began recording on their phones and approached the man. He picked up the child and tried to walk away but the girls intercepted him and asked if he knew the girl. He claimed he did, but the little girl shook her head in denial. The suspect then put her down and fled, while the three girls escorted the child safely back to her apartment.
Later, the child’s parents confirmed to police that the suspect was a stranger.
A family member told KING-5 that they were shocked at what had happened. “We’re grateful for the people who called police and caught the guy,” he said.
The suspect, a 40-year-old Kent resident, was arrested for kidnapping and booked into the King County jail. His name was not provided by the police.
“We are impressed beyond words at the maturity and protectiveness displayed by these preteen girls,” Kent 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.”
