A Florida man was arrested Tuesday after an 11-year-old girl defended herself during an attempted kidnapping and escaped to safety early in the morning, said the sheriff of Escambia County, in the northwest of the state.
The attempted kidnapping occurred at 7 am at a bus stop and was captured on surveillance video.
In the recording, the man is seen getting out of a truck and trying to kidnap the minor, who resisted and managed to get away from the man. The suspect, identified as Jared Paul Stanga, returned to his car and fled the scene.
The security video helped lead investigators to Stanga’s home, where he was arrested, Simmons said.
“She fought and never gave up,” Sheriff Chip Simmons said at a news conference.
Stanga, 30, faces charges of attempted kidnapping of a child, aggravated assault and battery. The sheriff said the man may have an object believed to be a knife.