Sammy Green, a 10-year-old boy who lives in Pottstown, PA, was walking home from school last Friday night when he narrowly escaped an attempted kidnapping. A woman was following Sammy and began walking with him – asking him where his parents were. The boy knew exactly what she was trying to do.
She insisted that she was a friend of his family and attempted to convince Sammy to go with her – adding they could stop in a convenience store and he could have anything he wanted. Instead of following the woman to Wawa (the convenience store she was headed to), he went to a store he was familiar with.
After entering the store, he immediately walked up to one of the female cashiers and asked her to ‘act like you’re my mom’ because ‘this lady is following me.’ Just moments later, the 17-year-old cashier walked over to the door – where the woman was still standing – and locked it. The lady immediately walked off.
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In an interview with the local news, Sammy Green’s father – Sam Green – praised his son for doing exactly what he and his wife taught him to do in that situation. It goes to show how important it is to teach children proper behavior in certain scenarios or situations – especially ones that put their life at risk.
“When we were watching that video, I cried every time I saw it. To see my child looking for help because he was afraid basically for his life. That cuts you deep. Think of every scenario and make sure that children know and also practice it. Practice your situations and scenarios just like fire drills,” said Sam.
The owner of the store also praised the little boy and was proud of the way her cashier diffused the situation – adding it’s exactly what she would’ve done. “I am very proud of her. Hannah is a 17-year-old young lady. She did everything correctly,” said Dani Small, the owner of Dani Bee Funky in Pottstown.
As for the woman who attempted the kidnapping, authorities were able to track her down. She’s currently receiving mental health assistance and, at this moment, there haven’t been any charges brought against her. That could change in the future, but only if the family decides to press charges against the woman.
How Can Parents Prevent an Attempted Kidnapping?
According to KidsHealth, more than 2,000 children are reported missing every single day in the United States alone. With that said, most attempted kidnapping cases can be prevented by taking certain precautions – there are things parents can do to prevent abductions, but also things the child can do.
For example, parents should be teaching their children to avoid going anywhere with a stranger – no matter what that person does to try and convince or persuade them. Parents should also teach children to say ‘no’ when asked to do bad or wrong things. In the event that doesn’t work, run and scream for help.
Not only that, but parents can point out certain houses of family friends, and trusted individuals – which can be utilized in an emergency. It’s similar to what we saw with Sammy Green – he went to a place he felt comfortable and asked for help right away. He executed the “fight or flight” response to perfection.
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And as his father said, parents should practice these situations with their children. That way, they’re more prepared when that unfortunate day comes – if it comes. It’s safe to say that Sammy Green’s story could’ve ended a lot differently if he hadn’t followed the advice of his father. We’re happy everyone’s safe.
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