Woman's quick thinking saves girl, 12, from attempted kidnapping
A young girl has narrowly avoided being kidnapped while on her morning walk to school, thanks to some quick-thinking from a complete stranger.
Amy Martinez, 12, was on her way to her school in Santa Ana, California when she was confronted by a woman, who police later identified as 34-year-old Claudia Hernandez Diaz.
As commuters made their way down the busy stretch of road on Wednesday morning, Amy began to scream for help as she was dragged down the road.
“She told me in Spanish not to cry, but I wasn’t even crying,” the youngster told KTLA.
A woman, who had just dropped her own child off at school moments earlier, saw the chaos unfolding as she drove down the street and knew she had to act fast.
“She said she had, in her mind, five seconds to come up with something to save this child,” said Corporal Anthony Bertagna with the Santa Ana Police Department.
The Good Samaritan said she was Amy's mother and demanded she let her go.
The 34-year-old fled the scene but was later arrested and jailed on suspicion of kidnapping a child under the age of 14.
The incredibly grateful child thanked later thanked her heroine who took her back to school and phoned 911.
“I want to say thank you for saving my life, and you’re my hero,” she told the local TV station.
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