What to Know
- A good Samaritan heard the screams of an 11-year-old girl and stopped a kidnapping in progress, law enforcement sources said
- The girl was walking in Ridgewood when a man threw her into his car, the sources said
- The good Samaritan also held the man in place until police arrived, police say
A good Samaritan stopped a man who allegedly threw an 11-year-old girl into his car on Saturday and tried to kidnap her in Queens, law enforcement sources said.
The girl was walking to a weekend school around 7:50 a.m. when Relin Estrada, 40, allegedly started calling after her from his Honda Civic near Centre Street and Seneca Avenue in Ridgewood, the sources told NBC 4 New York.
The girl felt uncomfortable and tried to run away, but Estrada allegedly followed her in his car, blocked her with it, jumped out, grabbed her and threw her into the vehicle, according to sources.
That’s when Alexandar Salas heard the girl’s screams and rushed out to help.
"I heard her screaming, 'Help, help!'" Salas said. "And when I told him to get off of her he yelled back, 'Who are you, a superhero?'"
Salas confronted Estrada and the girl managed to escape, according to sources. Then he grabbed Estrada and held him until police arrived at the scene, sources said.
Local
Officers rescued the girl and arrested Estrada.
Estrada faces charges including kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, criminal possession of a weapon and being a sex offender and failing to report a change of address. It's not clear whether he has an attorney.
Police say Erasta has been arrested 13 times before.
