A man and woman allegedly attempted to abduct a 9-year-old girl in broad daylight and lure her into their van in Hollywood, Florida, a local outlet reported Tuesday.
A neighbor, Chris Watkins, captured the attempted kidnapping on video, Local 10 News reported. In the footage, a white van can be seen driving away from the location after the girl’s mother’s boyfriend confronted suspects Michael Diaz, 34, from Davie, and Taiana Tersano, 31, from Hollywood, around 4 p.m.
“It’s crazy. I have a 12-year-old daughter. She walks to school two blocks away,” Watkins said in a statement, per Local 10 News.
Tersano allegedly approached the girl, instructing her to “come here,” before the mother’s boyfriend intervened. He positioned himself between Tersano and the girl, preventing the child’s potential abduction. The situation escalated when Tersano spat in the man’s face and punched him. In self-defense, the man retaliated, punching Tersano back, the outlet further reported. (RELATED: Three Men Allegedly Attempt To Kidnap Neymar’s Daughter In Targeted Home Invasion)
The pair reportedly threatened them and said that they would “come back and kill” of them. They fled the scene in their van, accompanied by their own 7-year-old child. A witness corroborated the events, recounting that Diaz had shouted at Tersano to “Grab the f—ing kid!” during the attempted abduction. Diaz and Tersano were arrested on Friday following the incident.
Diaz and Tersano were later released from jail but are now facing multiple charges, including luring and enticing a child, Local 10 News reported.