LEXINGTON, N.C. — A mother in Lexington is holding her babies close after she said a man tried to kidnap her daughter on Monday.
The mom, who did not want to be identified, said her daughter is less than 10 years old. She said her daughter was almost taken while playing hide and seek with her cousin in the front yard on Booker Avenue.
"She said that she was coming up the hill - and a man - she felt like a man was following her, and she turned around, and he was (following her), and she said she started running, and he ran behind her, and that he grabbed her by her ankle," mom said.
The girls got away and ran home.
"Within five minutes they came running in, 'Oh, somebody tried to grab me!' - just hysterical," said mom.
Neighbor Wanda Bozeman saw the commotion.
"I saw all of the police cars pulling up and I was like what in the world is going on," Bozeman recalled.
The women said it's a quiet, nice neighborhood, and they're shocked something like this could happen.
"It’s scary. It’s almost like - we played outside all the time because I have multiple kids. We are always outside, always playing constantly, and it’s just like to know that can happen - you don’t even feel safe - it’s scary," mom said.
Bozeman said she'll be on guard now.
"Don’t let your kids go anywhere without them going with you. That’s what I see. They might be old enough to walk down the street but people will do anything," she said.
The mom said as scary as the situation was, it prompted an important conversation.
"I did have a conversation with my daughter where I told her if you are in any type of danger, I don’t care where you are - just scream at the top of your lungs; you let it be known that you need help," mom said. "Sometimes you just don’t always feel like you don’t have to teach that to your kids, but times are changing."
Lexington police are searching for the attempted kidnapper. They believe he took off in a white truck. If you have any information, give their Crime Stoppers line a call - 336-243-2400.