Kent Police Officers on Tuesday night, July 16, 2024 arrested a 40-year-old man for the attempted kidnapping of a 6-year-old girl after three preteen girls intervened to protect the child.

The incident occurred at an East Hill apartment complex on Kent Kangley Road at 8:18 p.m. on Tuesday.

The three 11-year-old girls displayed remarkable bravery when they saw their young friend and neighbor being taken by a stranger. Without hesitation, they stepped in to bring her to safety.

Multiple Kent Patrol Officers were dispatched following a 911 call reporting the attempted kidnapping. The caller described seeing the man pick up the screaming child, who did not appear to be related to him. Officers quickly arrived at the scene, thanks to the caller’s detailed description of the suspect.

Officers J. Robinson and Corner located the suspect, who attempted to flee but was swiftly detained. Meanwhile, Officer A. Davis gathered witness statements, learning that the girls had been walking toward an ice cream truck when they noticed the man forcibly holding their 6-year-old neighbor’s wrist.

The girls recorded the incident on their phones and confronted the man, who then picked up the child and tried to walk away quickly. The girls persisted, questioning him until he put the child down, allowing them to take her to safety. The child’s parents later confirmed the suspect was a stranger.

The suspect was arrested for kidnapping and booked into King County Jail. The Kent Police Department praised the girls’ quick thinking and courage, the detailed description provided by the 911 caller, and the rapid response of the officers.

“The little girl is now safe, the man is in jail, and we are impressed beyond words at the maturity and protectiveness displayed by these preteen girls,” police said. “Without their intervention, the excellent description of the suspect from the 911 caller, and the swift response by multiple KPD Officers, the outcome would have changed dramatically.”

“This outcome took a village,” police added. “We love our village.”

The case is now with the Kent PD Detectives Unit for further investigation. Witnesses are urged to contact KPDTipLine@kentwa.gov or call 253-856-5808, referencing case #24-9823.

Scott Schaefer

Founder/Publisher/Editor. Three-time National Emmy Award winning Writer (“Bill Nye the Science Guy”), Director, Producer, Journalist and more...