Witness: Woman Yelled 'I Want Your Daughter' During Tax Office Kidnapping Attempt
FREEPORT, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A 6-year-old Long Island girl was home safe on Wednesday, after an attempted kidnapping just steps away from her mother.
As CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff reported, workers in a Merrick Road tax preparation office were stunned when they spotted a customer's daughter, inside the office, being snatched by another woman -- a stranger.
"As soon as she came in, the lady came in after her," owner Michael Thompson said.
The office owner said alarmed workers saw the woman pull the child by the arm outside and yank her down the sidewalk. The little girl's mother chased after her as the stranger yelled, "I want your daughter."
"I saw the lady jumping and punching her on the body, and the other lady was struggling too," Juan Chavez said.
Merchants were unaware they were watching a mother frantically struggling with a would-be kidnapper.
"It was crazy because anyone is going to fight for their child. I don't know what possessed the girl to take the child, but if someone does that you're going to fight to the end," D.C. said.
The brave mother did fight, until the woman ran off and a quick-thinking office worker gave chase.
"The receptionist was smart enough to call the cops and follow the suspect to the diner down the block and the cops came real quick," a witness said.
Police arrested Lela Witts. The 20-year-old Roosevelt woman was hiding in a diner bathroom. Sources said she was high, but does not have a criminal history. She has been charged with kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment.
Police have not mentioned a motive. Witts was being held on $100,000 bail and a judge has ordered her to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.
