Woman in her 50s tried to abduct two-year-old boy in park before child’s screaming mother chased her away in ‘every parent’s worst nightmare’
- The attempted child-snatcher grabbed the toddler by wrist and tried to pull him
- But she fled after the boy’s horrified mother spotted the suspected abduction
- She is described as olive-skinned, 5ft tall, of medium build and with dark hair
- Yesterday she wore pale pink long-sleeved hoodie, looked scruffy and had a limp
Police are hunting a woman in her 50s who yesterday tried to abduct a two-year-old boy from under his mother’s nose in a public park.
The would-be child-snatcher grabbed the toddler by the wrist and tried to pull him away from the bandstand at Sefton Park, Liverpool, at 2.50pm.
But she fled after the boy’s horrified mother spotted the suspected kidnap of her son and started screaming.
Detectives said the terrifying episode was ‘every parent’s worst nightmare’ and have ramped up their search for the female.
She is described as olive-skinned, 5ft tall, of medium build and with dark hair in a ponytail.
The attempted child-snatcher grabbed the toddler by the wrist and tried to pull him away from the bandstand at Sefton Park, Liverpool, at 2.50pm (file photo)
Yesterday she wore a pale pink long-sleeved hoodie, grey tracksuit bottoms and trainers, and was reportedly scruffy and walking with a limp.
After the horrified mother clocked what was happening, police said the woman bolted towards the park’s Palm House.
The boy was unharmed but officers said the mother was left ‘distressed’.
Police are trawling CCTV and are now appealing for witnesses to catch the woman.
Detective Inspector Simon Hurst, of Merseyside Police, said: ‘Thankfully the child’s mother was alert and screamed at the woman, who made off.
‘This incident is every parent’s worst nightmare, and will have been absolutely frightening to experience.
After the horrified mother clocked what was happening, police said the woman bolted towards the park’s Palm House (file photo of park pictured)
‘We know that many people were in the area and, even if they didn’t witness the incident itself, may recognise the woman described.
If so, please let us know and pass any description to us, as well as any CCTV, dashcam or mobile phone footage which may have inadvertently captured her image in photos or videos taken today in the area.
‘I’d also like to assure people, who will be understandably worried that we take any reports of this nature extremely seriously.
‘We’ll act on all information provided and are absolutely determined to find this woman and ensure that no such incidents happen again.’