KENT, Wash. — A Kent man appeared in King County court Thursday accused of trying to kidnap a 6-year-old girl two weeks ago at an apartment complex.
KING 5 spoke to the three young girls who police credited with stopping the 6-year-old from being abducted.
“We were all just playing outside, like sports and stuff, and then the ice cream truck came by, so we wanted ice cream,” said Esme, one of the girls who took action and recorded video of the incident.
But on that summer evening that is when the girls said they saw a man, 40-year-old Hayder Mohammed, tightly gripping the wrist of a 6-year-old girl while walking away with her. They said they recognized the man as someone who lived in the complex, but said they knew the young girl and had never seen them together.
“Her brother said that he [Mohammed] was going to go get candy, but he only wanted her to go," aid Bentley, another girl who stepped in to help. "So, then that's when we kind of got suspicious."
Thirteen-year-old Esme said that's when she and her 11-year-old friends, Kylie and Bentley, started questioning Mohammed.
"I was scared of the things that could happen to the poor little girl,” Esme said. “So, I just wanted to get her out of there."
They said he then cussed at them and told them to go away.
That is when Esme said the man started speed walking away with the girl, and Esme said she started recording on her phone and they followed him to confront him again.
The recording showed Mohammed picking up the girl at one point before the girls were confronted on video. The cellphone video shows the girls asking the man if he was related to the young girl in which he answers “yes” and then the girls said the 6-year-old girl shook her head no. That is when they grabbed the young girl and told the man to walk away.
“We asked if she was okay and then we decided to walk her home because I mean, I highly doubt she knew what was going on,” Esme said.
That is when Esme’s mom called Kent police. Police arrived at the scene, thanking the girls for taking action. Police noted that Mohammed had scratch marks on him. Police said they talked to the girl's parents, who said that the suspect was a stranger and they did not know him.
Mohammed was in court Thursday where he pleaded not guilty and a judge set bail at $200,000.
While prosecutors said he is dangerous and noted that he brought the 6-year-old more than 100 yards away, the defense said he has lived there for more than three years and frequently offers kids toys and candy. They noted he has ties to the community and no criminal history.
The suspect told police he had asked the girl for help with his prayer beads.
If Mohammed makes bail, the judge said he is allowed to return home to the complex.
“Like after all that, how are you going to let him live here again?” Esme said.
In court, Mohammed had a translator and the defense argued his English was poor, which they claim made the situation worse.
“He does speak English, when we were coming he was cussing at us in English,” Bentley said.
Esme said she was glad they recorded the video.
“It’s like big evidence now,” Esme said.
But she is even more proud that they took action and hopes others would do the same.
“Say something because you can never be sure you guys," Esme said. “Because like, what could have happened to that little girl if we stayed back? You know, that's what I don't want to think about, because that's scary."