The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A man was arrested after the authorities said he allegedly tried to kidnap a 7-year-old girl near Portland’s downtown waterfront Saturday evening before bystanders stepped in and stopped him.
According to investigators, emergency dispatchers first received reports of a naked man behaving erratically in the area shortly before 7 p.m. A second caller then reported that the man had allegedly attempted to punch someone. Officers assigned to the area were unavailable because they were responding to other incidents, including a disturbance involving a firearm, so officers from another precinct were sent instead.
Investigators said the man allegedly grabbed the young girl’s arm as she walked with her family. The child, who was visiting Portland from another state with her parents, was reportedly pulled away from her mother. Her mother held onto the girl’s other arm, and the struggle became so forceful that the child was briefly lifted off the ground.
The girl’s parents and several bystanders immediately intervened. Witnesses reportedly struck the suspect and sprayed him with an irritant in an effort to stop him. Investigators said he eventually released the child.
When officers reached the scene, they found the suspect in the Willamette River and took him into custody without further incident. Paramedics evaluated the girl for minor scratches at the scene, and she did not require transportation to a hospital.
The 31-year-old man was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on suspicion of first-degree attempted kidnapping, second-degree attempted kidnapping, first-degree custodial interference, third-degree assault, and harassment.
Court records reviewed by local media reportedly showed no prior criminal convictions for the suspect. At the time this was written, his first court appearance had not yet been scheduled.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.