Sharon Robinson — the mother of a 6-year-old boy who was nearly abducted Sunday night on a New York City street — told WNYW-TV that a stranger grabbed her son “unbeknownst” to her.
“Somebody ran to [my son] and scooped him up unbeknownst to me,” Robinson recalled to WNYW after the incident on Coney Island. “I heard him yell. I turn around. There’s a complete stranger with my son, footballing him like a football, holding him in his arm and running away.”
‘Why was that little boy so far away from his parents in the 1st place[?]’
The child’s family said they were walking together from an amusement park near the intersection of Surf and Stillwell Avenues, the station reported.
The family added to WNYW that a male picked up the child; the station said he could be heard on video calling for one of his parents as he was lifted off the sidewalk.
The following video report shows the incident unfolding — as well as the suspect throwing the boy to the sidewalk as his parents approach and then the parents running after the suspect:
Robinson in the aftermath added to WNYW: “I run towards him. I say, ‘Hey, what happened?’ He ignores me, keeps running. When he saw he couldn’t outrun me, he slammed [my son] to the ground, midair, hit the concrete. His knees hit the [ground], he’s screaming. I couldn’t worry about that, I had to go catch him ’cause the police were doing nothing.”
Robinson’s son — identified as Rah’Shem Gantt, according to WABC-TV — told WNYW afterward, “It was scary. I bumped into the guy to go to the candy shop, get popcorn, and the guy throw me on the ground for [no] reason. Then all the people said stop. He threw me on the ground.”
Roy Gantt, the boy’s father, added to WABC that “when I turned around, I noticed a man pick him up and run by way of the boardwalk. Once he saw us chasing him, he threw [Rah’Shem] down. It sounded like he hit his head on the concrete.”
Gantt told WABC that he and the boy’s mother chased the man and pinned him down for about four minutes until police arrived.
“That was someone who attempted to kidnap my son, then assaulted him,” Gantt added to WABC, which noted that several witnesses on the crowded street stayed with the crying boy and his toddler sister while their parents pursued the suspect.
“The cops came and thought we were jumping on somebody for no reason,” Gantt recounted to WABC. “We had 10, 15 people come up and vouch for us.”
Robinson recounted to WNBC-TV, “I run across the street, and I tackle the guy … [but] the police jumped on me and slammed me against the window ’cause they thought I was attacking the guy. I tried to explain, ‘Hey, this stranger slammed [my] baby on the ground.'”
“I had my foot on his chest to hold him down,” she noted to WABC. “I didn’t have the heart to stomp him. Violence is not my way.”
Police told WNYW that 36-year-old Jonathan Robalino is the male seen in the video attempting to run off with the child — and he faces charges of assault, attempted kidnapping, and failure to exercise control of a minor.
WNBC, citing police sources, said Robalino has seven prior arrests. A member of the Guardian Angels group said Robalino is known in the area and may suffer from mental illness, WNBC added.
The child was treated for a head injury at Coney Island Hospital and is expected to recover, WNBC reported.
While commenters on WABC’s video report praised the boy’s parents for catching the suspect, others wrote that they should have kept a closer eye on their son. It isn’t clear in the video how far away the parents were from their child, but the clip shows that once the perp picks up the kid, it takes his parents about four seconds to get to the man before he throws their son to the sidewalk.
Here are some of the comments giving kudos to — and criticizing — the mom and dad:
“Parents of the YEAR!” one commenter wrote. “You saved your adorable baby boy, and many more by refusing to let him get away, you are awesome!!””Love how the parents protected him, but keep your children close don’t let them out of your sight,” another user advised.”Why was that little boy so far away from his parents in the 1st place[?]” another user wondered.”I see young children alone away from parents as they chat among themselves,” another commenter observed. “Pay attention, those kinds of people are out there, ok.””Awful criminals, parents keep an eye at all times, very scary,” another user wrote.”Why was the child standing on the curb behind the parents[?]” another commenter asked.”Ummmm, why is your six-year-old not close to yall[?]” another user inquired.
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Crime thwarted, New york city, Coney island, Parents, Child, Attempted child abduction, Parents tackle suspect, Arrest, Assault charge, Attempted kidnapping charge, Failure to exercise control of a minor charge, Crime
