Attempted kidnapping at MCO

[georgina]

Just saw this on our local news, and looked it up.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/new...idnapping-orlando-airport-20181015-story.html

A guy grabbed an 8 year old girl and tried to walk away with her, a couple of bystanders intervened. It really makes me wonder what he was thinking, trying this in such a populated place. It happened Saturday but I didn't see it discussed anywhere on the Dis, I could have missed it.

 

[low-key]

Oh my gosh, sick people are all over

 

[Lori74]

That is especially scary when you think about the parents that arent paying attention at all. Good for those people that intervened.

 

[NinaBella]

Just saw this on our local news, and looked it up.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/new...idnapping-orlando-airport-20181015-story.html

A guy grabbed an 8 year old girl and tried to walk away with her, a couple of bystanders intervened. It really makes me wonder what he was thinking, trying this in such a populated place. It happened Saturday but I didn't see it discussed anywhere on the Dis, I could have missed it.

Because a populated place is a good place for an attempt. No one typically thinks twice about seeing a man carry a screaming child who may be a child throwing a tantrum. Good thing bystanders intervened.

Tampa is like in the top 5 for sex trafficking in the U.S. It wouldn't be a surprise if they expanded to Orlando. Polk county is known for an insane amount of sex offenders. Many mom's in Tampa post on Facebook about being followed around stores like Target, Publix, and even the malls in Tampa. I haven't heard of a legit kidnapping from one of these followers but it can be quite scary. I use to say the Nick Hotel in Orlando was a target location because it was massive amounts of kids running around with no parental supervision and it was so loud. A screaming kid wouldn't have stood out. My husband and I would loose sight of our own kids there. But we had our teen boys who stayed with each of the younger ones at all times. We would be next too the pool saying "where are they now? Oh there is one, there is the other." Their big bro's kept right next to them but many kids were 100% on their own.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Because a populated place is a good place for an attempt. No one typically thinks twice about seeing a man carry a screaming child who may be a child throwing a tantrum. Good thing bystanders intervened.

Tampa is like in the top 5 for sex trafficking in the U.S. It wouldn't be a surprise if they expanded to Orlando. Polk county is known for an insane amount of sex offenders. Many mom's in Tampa post on Facebook about being followed around stores like Target, Publix, and even the malls in Tampa. I haven't heard of a legit kidnapping from one of these followers but it can be quite scary. I use to say the Nick Hotel in Orlando was a target location because it was massive amounts of kids running around with no parental supervision and it was so loud. A screaming kid wouldn't have stood out. My husband and I would loose sight of our own kids there. But we had our teen boys who stayed with each of the younger ones at all times. We would be next too the pool saying "where are they now? Oh there is one, there is the other." Their big bro's kept right next to them but many kids were 100% on their own.

Yep. I grew up in the area. It’s not just the blatant kidnapping, but also all of those “modeling agencies” that approach young people in the malls and concerts. It’s nuts.

You’re absolutely right about populated areas being easy... I would be far less likely to look twice at a screaming child than a creep in the mall etc...

 

[lorimay]

What would catch my attention, was that he's saying "she's mine" who does that when their child is having a tantrum? You just want to get her out of there and get it to stop. Good for those 2 men. they are hero's.

 

[BLAZEY]

What would catch my attention, was that he's saying "she's mine" who does that when their child is having a tantrum? You just want to get her out of there and get it to stop. Good for those 2 men. they are hero's.

DD had a kids personal safety instructor come to her brownie meeting last year. Us parent were told to stay so that we would learn as well. She was a police officer as well and worked as a liaison with the school. She told the girls that is they were ever grabbed like this to have the worst temper tantrum ever and yell things like "I don't Know You" "You are a stranger" to alert people around you that the person carrying you off is NOT you parent or guardian. She said statistically its a rare thing that most kidnappers are well know to the victims.

 

[MissManda]

What would catch my attention, was that he's saying "she's mine" who does that when their child is having a tantrum? You just want to get her out of there and get it to stop. Good for those 2 men. they are hero's.

I kind of did something like that when my niece threw a huge tantrum in Target years ago. She was 4 at the time and she and I were having a "girls" days shortly after her Mom passed away. I don't recall what led up to it, but she had a total meltdown in the clothing section of Target. When I went to pick her up, she grabbed a hold of the clothing rack and wouldn't let go. She was also literally screaming as loud as she could- "I don't want you. No, I don't want you" over and over again. I was terrified and legitimately concerned that someone was going to think I was kidnapping her. So, I kept telling her that she needed to calm down she was making her Aunt very upset/embarrassed (and I was saying that loud enough for people to hear me). I didn't know what else to do. Finally she calmed down, we left the store, and I did not get questioned for potential kidnapping! Of course if someone had tried to step in or gotten security, I couldn't/wouldn't have blamed them. She was causing quite a ruckus. Let's just say it was quite a while before I took her anywhere else like that!

In this case at MCO, I'm very thankful that those men witnessed what happened and stopped him. In a crowded airport with so much noise and confusion all around, it really could have been easy to have missed that and something terrible could have happened to that little girl. So scary!

 

[Floridaman999]

There's some sick people in our world.

 

[lorimay]

I kind of did something like that when my niece threw a huge tantrum in Target years ago. She was 4 at the time and she and I were having a "girls" days shortly after her Mom passed away. I don't recall what led up to it, but she had a total meltdown in the clothing section of Target. When I went to pick her up, she grabbed a hold of the clothing rack and wouldn't let go. She was also literally screaming as loud as she could- "I don't want you. No, I don't want you" over and over again. I was terrified and legitimately concerned that someone was going to think I was kidnapping her. So, I kept telling her that she needed to calm down she was making her Aunt very upset/embarrassed (and I was saying that loud enough for people to hear me). I didn't know what else to do. Finally she calmed down, we left the store, and I did not get questioned for potential kidnapping! Of course if someone had tried to step in or gotten security, I couldn't/wouldn't have blamed them. She was causing quite a ruckus. Let's just say it was quite a while before I took her anywhere else like that!

In this case at MCO, I'm very thankful that those men witnessed what happened and stopped him. In a crowded airport with so much noise and confusion all around, it really could have been easy to have missed that and something terrible could have happened to that little girl. So scary!

I'm sorry for your loss. That poor little girl.

 

[MissManda]

I'm sorry for your loss. That poor little girl.

Thank you.