Police: Father Wrestles Daughter Away From Kidnapper
STOCKTON (CBS13) – Police say a man who tried to kidnap an 11-year-old girl was thwarted by the quick action of her father.
The incident happened Saturday around 7 p.m. at an apartment complex along the 4300 block of N. Pershing Avenue, Stockton Police say. At the complex, the girl was having her 11th birthday party.
"I felt like my day was going to be good ... how my friends were going to sleep over," said the girl, who didn't want to be identified.
According to the Stockton Police Department, a man was reportedly walking around the complex grabbing young girls.
"He just came in here and tried to grab the kids," said Mario Alvarado, who saw the scene unfold.
At some point, the man – identified as 33-year-old Gerald Herbert Childs – picked up the 11-year-old and tried to take off running with her. The girl's mom was just returning home from the store when she saw the chaos.
"I see only my husband run, everybody run, every kid in my house cry," she said.
The girl's father confronted Childs and was able the wrestle her from his grip.
Childs then took off running up Pershing Avenue, but the father and other family members caught up to him and held him until authorities showed up.
"They came outside, chased the suspect down the street, and they were able to detain him," said Officer Joe Silva with the Stockton Police Department.
Childs was arrested and booked on multiple counts of attempted kidnapping and annoying or molesting a child charges. He is being held on $373,000 bail.
