Mom foils man's attempt to kidnap toddler
STAFF REPORTS Gulf Breeze News news@gulfbreezenews.com

A Navarre mother recently prevented a child abduction from her own front yard.

On March 13, at approximately 1 pm, Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office Deputies were dispatched to an address on Bandera Drive, Navarre, in reference to an attempted child abduction. The female complainant stated that she was in her fenced in front yard outside of her trailer hanging laundry on a clothesline. Her 2-year-old daughter was present with her. The mother went inside to get more laundry to hang. When she came back outside, her daughter was gone.

The complainant began to yell her daughter's name, at which time she heard her daughter screaming back from an area northeast of the residence. The mother then went toward the screams and saw an unknown white male running and carrying her's daughter under his arm like a football. She then ran after the suspect. While she was chasing him, the suspect dropped the child and began to flee the scene. The mother picked up her child and ran back to her house to call law enforcement.

The mother described the male as in his early 20's, white, tall slender build, dirty blonde hair, white t-shirt, and blue jeans. She said he appeared to be unkempt.

Numerous deputies arrived and set up a perimeter and immediately began a search of the area with assistance from Okaloosa County Unit, as well as the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office K-9 unit. The search yielded negative results. The female victim was transported to a local hospital to be checked out. The mother stated that she has never seen the suspect prior to this occasion. Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office Crime Scene Technicians arrived to process the scene in an attempt to locate evidence.

No suspects are known at this time. No further information is known at this time and the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with any information is encouraged to call crime stoppers at 850-437-7867.