A 6-year-old Florida girl is being called a hero after she rescued herself from an alleged would-be kidnapper over the weekend.
The girl, identified as Lyric, recounted the incident that took place in Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood, ABC 10 reports. While playing outside her apartment, Leonardo Venegas allegedly attempted to abduct her but Lyric had other plans.
“I bit him,” Lyric said. “He picked me up and then he slapped me. Then he threw me on the floor and started running.”
The arrest report reviewed by Law&Crime states that at the time, Lyric and her siblings were playing in the courtyard of their apartment complex when they noticed a white SUV parked near the victim’s apartment.
“She was suddenly grabbed by the arm by a white male, later identified as the defendant, and pulled towards the rear of the stairs. The victim began to fight back and pulled away from the defendant. The defendant then picked up the victim and began to carry her away. The victim bit the defendant on the arm causing him to drop her,” the arrest report read.
Venegas was seen entering the complex on CCTV footage, the police report said. Miami police located and apprehended Venegas on Saturday, charging him with kidnapping and child abuse.
During questioning, Venegas claimed that he was searching for houses to buy, although there were “for sale” signs in the HUD housing complex.
Venegas reportedly admitted he was the person captured in the CCTV footage and admitted to fleeing upon hearing someone scream. When pressed for further details regarding his interaction with the victim, he asked an attorney.
A Miami Police Department spokesperson Officer Kiara Delva said he’s thankful that the “brave” girl is safe.
“She fought for her safety, which ultimately saved her from a potentially very dangerous situation,” Delva said. “We’re thankful that she did enough to save her life.”
Venegas remains behind bars without bail; he also had outstanding warrants for an immigration violation and an expired driver’s license.
Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: ABC 10 Screenshot/Police Handout]
