Terrifying moment schoolgirl, 9, snatched while getting off bus

Shocking CCTV footage has captured the moment a stranger allegedly snatched a nine-year-old school girl just “milliseconds” after she got off her school bus.

The girl had just started walking to her home in Providence, Rhode Island in the US on Monday around 3pm (local time) when police allege Luis Martinez-Romero, 34, kidnapped her.

Martinez-Romero, who was arrested and charged late on Tuesday night, allegedly drove her to a remote location where he parked for a short time, then drove her around the city and stopped at a food drive-thru, police said.

The 34-year-old stopped by his suburb about 10 minutes away before bringing her back to the area from which she was taken in less than an hour, police Chief Col. Hugh Clements said.

“It happened within seconds, milliseconds, where she innocently stepped off a bus, was walking home and was scooped up,” he said.

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Early on Tuesday, police released surveillance video showing a person running up from behind the girl and grabbing her, then carrying her to an SUV.

Most children are abducted by someone they know, making the girl’s kidnapping unusual, police said.

Martinez-Romero was held without bail at his arraignment on charges of kidnapping of a minor and second-degree sexual assault. He did not enter pleas and he was referred to the public defender’s office.

Martinez-Romero has no known criminal record in Rhode Island, police said.

with AP

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