Child kidnapping stories are every parent's nightmare. But today, we bring you one to create awareness about just how easy – and fast – it is for kidnappers to snatch an unsuspecting child from right under their parent's nose.
All a Kidnapper Needs Is a Few Seconds
Recent CCTV footage from India shows how smoothly and swiftly a kidnapping can happen.
The footage begins in Mumbai, India. A little girl can be seen wandering outside her dad's shop. She first peeks out of the entrance, then she steps cautiously onto the footpath...
And, unknowingly, lands directly in the path of her kidnapper.
The girl bumps against the young man. To him, she is just fresh prey.
And in the most laid-back manner, the man bends down, picks her up, and just calmly walks off, carrying the confused girl.
It were as if nothing happened at all.
Not long later, her father calls for his daughter to come back inside. However, he soon comes to the horrifying realisation that she has literally vanished into thin air.
Panicked and in complete distress, he informs the police about what happened.
The terrifying video is shown below. Warning this video contains distressing content. Viewer discretion is advised.
Culprit Apprehended Not Long After
In addition to showing how frighteningly easy it was for the kidnapping to occur, the CCTV footage also showed the abductor's facial appearance.
Fortunately, the culprit, a 28-year-old man called Sandeep Parab was supposedly caught red-handed within six hours. His victim, little Shirren, was reunited with her parents.
The little girl was reportedly uninjured, but the culprit's original intentions still remain unknown.
Child Kidnapping Stories: What Can We Do to Prevent These from Happening?
The danger of kidnapping is real and terrifying given that they can occur in just 20 seconds, as highlighted by this case. Here are some tips to prevent kidnapping.
Preventing Kidnapping
- Monitor your children within your line of sight. Prevent them from roaming or running away on their own in public areas. It will also help if you choose brightly coloured clothes for your children to wear so that they can easily be spotted in crowded areas.
- Don't let your kids walk alone. Young children should always have a parent, relative or guardian by their side.
- Bring along a whistle. Use it to call attention in case you need help.
- Make sure children know important information such as your phone number, and your address. Teach them how to call using local and international dial codes, if possible, too.
- When you are out and about with your child, help them recognise “safe strangers” by pointing them out, e.g., policemen.
- Show your kids places they can go to if they need help, such as trusted local stores or the homes of family friends in the neighbourhood.
- When in a shopping mall, point out the information counter usually located in the lobby or first floor and instruct your child to always go there should he get separated from you.
Teach Your Child to Fend for Themselves
Of course, we can only do so much as parents. It still makes sense to teach your kids to seek aid when needed. Here's how:
- Tell your kids that there’s nothing wrong if they shout or yell while they are in danger – children should do everything in their power to draw people towards them. Once they've been able to attract attention, they should run as fast as they can and describe the situation to adults.
- Boost their self esteem. “The safest kids are the confident kids,” says Ernie Allen, head of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. His organisation provides a solution based on studying children successfully escaping abduction attempts. The kids did it by kicking and screaming, a reaction that children with reservations about themselves would probably not think of doing. Allen also mentions that these are the “same techniques you’d use to resist peer pressure over drugs or bullies or gangs.”
What to Do if Your Child Gets Kidnapped
- If your child can’t be found, notify the police and alert authorities about what happened.
- Request the help of other people nearby to shout your child’s description if they go missing.
- Note the model, plate number, size and colour of any suspicious vehicles nearby.
We hope that this article has enlightened you to be a parent by being more wary of the dangers of kidnappers outside.
References: news.com.au
Also read:
Girl kidnapped, later found begging on the street: Safety tips to prevent kidnapping
Mums, here's what to do if your child goes missing
Have you taught your child how to talk to strangers?