DAYTONA BEACH, FL– Authorities in Daytona Beach are reporting that they have arrested the suspect who attempted to abduct a six-year-old who was walking home with her mother.
The attempted abduction occurred on Sunday on Halifax Drive, between Seabreeze and University Boulevards.
Authorities say the child and her mother were walking home from church when the female suspect approached them on the sidewalk.
The suspect then broke apart the mother’s hold she had on her daughter’s hand and the child fell to the ground.
The mother told reporters that no one stopped to help them but thankfully her daughter fought the attacker off.
The suspect was said to have walked away into a nearby apartment complex.
The father of the child told reporters that he believes the woman needs help:
“This person could be mentally ill, just disturbed. Maybe going through some tough times, and I thought, ‘What would god want me to do?’ Just show compassion,” Grainger said.
The suspect was taken located on Tuesday and taken into custody on unrelated charges.