'Bat-Man' Helps Rescue Young Girl From Potential Kidnapping
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A convicted sexual predator was expected to be arraigned Sunday after police said he tried to abduct an 11-year-old girl before a good Samaritan jumped in to stop him.
Police said Relyn Estrada stalked and ambushed the girl. The reason he ended up in handcuffs was partly because of Alex Salas.
"He was going to hit her with the bat. He had the bat over her head and had her down. It was just nerve wracking," Salas told CBS2's Marc Liverman on Sunday.
Salas said he heard the girl screaming at around 8 a.m. on Saturday. He is seen on surveillance video running out of his home on Centre Street near Seneca Avenue in the Ridgewood section of Queens. He was holding a baseball bat. He said he watched the girl being put into a car head first.
"When I saw her she was kicking to get out of the car," Salas said, "and that's when I yelled and I told her, 'Do you know him?!?' She said, 'No, please help me!'"
Police said the young girl was walking to a weekend program at I.S. 77 when Estrada started to follow her. He called out to her, but she ignored him. She started to walk faster. That's when he allegedly made his move.
"She got tired and made it to this door, but the door wasn't open, so that's when he trapped her in between the gates and grabbed her," Salas said.
So the girl kept fighting.
"She fought, she kicked, she screamed, she did everything and she used her phone," Salas said.
It was those screams that sent Salas running out and he stayed with the young girl and suspect right until police took Estrada into custody.
"No way in the world was I going to let him leave," Salas said.
Police said the young girl was not hurt and is now home safe and sound.
Police said Estrada has a dozen prior arrests and is a registered sex offender. On Sunday, CBS2's Liverman spoke with his cousin.
"I knew there was something wrong with him because he didn't look himself," Mark Almodovar said. "His face is skinny. He doesn't look himself. I just wish that he gets help."
Estrada is being charged with kidnapping, harassment and unlawful imprisonment.
Police said Estrada served time in prison back in 2001 for sexually assaulting a woman.
