Several quick-thinking family members and bystanders held down a registered sex offender who allegedly tried to kidnap two children at a California park on Monday morning.
Authorities say Marcus Dewitt, 29, tried to grab a three-year-old boy’s arm while he was playing inside a jungle gym at Rosetta Canyon Sports Park and attempted to flee the park with a four-year-old boy when he failed to kidnap the three-year-old, KABC reported.
Investigators and family members who watched the events unfold quickly sprung into action, running after the suspected kidnapper and taking the child out of his clutches.
When Dewitt allegedly tried to flee the scene on foot, one of the victims’ family members subdued him while others held him in place until the police arrived.
Authorities say none of the children involved were injured.
Dewitt has been taken into custody and faces kidnapping charges.
Other quick-thinking witnesses have gained recognition for foiling alleged kidnapping attempts. In October 2018, a Domino’s delivery driver thwarted an alleged kidnapping after he spotted a woman mouthing the words “help me” at a delivery address and called the authorities.
Several bystanders inside an Oregon sporting goods store also foiled a similar kidnapping attempt in December 2017, when the bystanders spotted woman mouthing the words “help me” and summoned authorities to the scene to rescue her.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.