KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Police are looking for the suspected driver in the attempted abduction of a five-year-old girl in Kansas City, Mo.
Shortly after 11:00 a.m. police were called to 28th and Prospect, where an attempted abduction was reported to have taken place. The grandparent of the victim, Willie Washington, 57, notified police of the incident.
On Thursday Washington, who says he watches his granddaughter, Ta’niya, at his home when her mother is at school, told FOX 4 he was outside talking to his neighbor when a man inside of a gray car approached his granddaughter. He said the man drove down his street, stopped his vehicle and backed up to where Ta’niya was at, picking flowers across the street from where he was. The man then began talking to the little girl.
“He didn’t get out of the car. The way I saw it, he was trying to coax her to the car,” said Washington. “I know he had no business talking to no little kid.”
Washington said the man asked his granddaughter if she knew someone named “Kelly.” Ta’niya did not respond to the man. Washington said as soon as he saw the man backing up toward his granddaughter he immediately began running towards the car and the little girl.
“I panicked. All I could think about was catching the car! Even though she didn’t go to the car I was just trying to get the dude,” said Washington. “I took off running out the yard and he took off down the street.”
He said when the man fled the scene in his vehicle he called police.
The girl’s worried mom, Tiffany Jefferson, rushed to the scene, thankful her little kindergartener was okay.
“I’ll just be glad if they catch him,” said Jefferson. “I have no other kid. I’m glad she’s safe.”
Jefferson is convinced stranger danger tips she taught her child, including never approaching a stranger’s car, paid off today.
“I told her if she sees a stranger just scream, don’t talk, just scream or go in the house or run away or something,” she said.
Jefferson says she’s glad Washington was alert and took action.
“Yeah, he did everything like he’s supposed to have done. I’m thankful for that because if it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t have her,” said Jefferson about Washington.
“Oh man, I wouldn’t gonna lose her,” said Washington about his granddaughter.
Fortunately the child wasn’t hurt in any way.
Right now police only have a vague description of the stranger and his car. Anyone with information in this case is urged to call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS.
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