The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A barking dog was credited with helping to prevent a Florida man from allegedly trying to abduct a 3-year-old boy who was playing in the backyard of his foster family’s residence.
On the afternoon of December 27, a 3-year-old boy was playing in his backyard while his foster mother was inside the house. According to reports, a man who was walking past the St. Petersburg home opened the gate and approached the child. The stranger allegedly grabbed the toddler and tried to pick him up. The family dog began barking loudly, and the youngster’s foster mother went outside to see what caused it. She reportedly spotted the alleged intruder, and she was able to chase him away.
The authorities found out about the incident, and officers from the St. Petersburg Police Department located a man nearby that they believed was the suspect. He was identified as a 36-year-old local who is currently without permanent housing, and it was reported that he has been arrested multiple times since 2007. The police collected and reviewed surveillance video that reportedly showed the same individual going into the backyard where the youngster was playing. When talking to the authorities about the situation, the man allegedly told them that he was the person who went into the yard.