The attempted kidnappings of two children at an airport were thwarted by an Atlanta traffic control police officer who happened to be at the right place at the right time.
Now, local authorities are praising the officer for taking action and stopping the kidnapper from getting away.
According to WSB-TV, 26-year-old Esther Daniels attempted to grab two children while at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport before their parents managed to prevent her from getting too far.
The entire moment was captured on camera:
In the video, Daniels is seen trying to take the children, who were still under their parents’ care.
As WSB-TV reports, the woman first tried to take the child who was in a stroller. As the mom fought her off, she went after the second child, before their father stepped in.
Thankfully, the parents refused to let go, forcing Daniels to give up. She then tried to run away.
She was later tackled by the traffic control officer and other security personnel.
Atlanta police spokeswoman Tashena Brown told WSB-TV:
“She deserves all the praise. Especially for her to have been working, really, in a civilian capacity, for her to just to jump in right away with no hesitation is amazing.”
Brown continued:
“Her behavior was very erratic, but we can’t really speak on what her mental state was, but we can agree that what she did was very erratic and odd, to say the least.”
Daniels was charged with kidnapping and obstructing an officer. She is currently being held without bond in the Clayton County Jail.
Clayton County Sheriff’s Office
The family says they were at the airport that day because they were on their way to Walt Disney World for vacation.
According to KidsHealth, here are some ways parents can help prevent their child from being victims of a kidnapping:
Set boundaries about the places your kids go. Supervise them in places like malls, movie theaters, parks, public bathrooms, or while fundraising door to door.
Never leave kids alone in a car or stroller, even for a minute.
Avoid dressing your kids in clothing with their names on it — children tend to trust adults who know their names.
KidsHealth says it’s also very important to teach your kids to never talk to strangers, never take something from someone they don’t know, and to ask before leaving the safety of their home.
According to 11Alive, neither of the kids or their parents were injured in the attempted abduction.