A family is feeling thankful after escaping a harrowing kidnapping attempt. A young girl in Sterling Heights, Michigan, was the victim of an alleged kidnapping attempt by a stranger while she was out riding her bike. Thankfully, her extended family saw what was about to happen, and her aunt stepped in to save the girl. The aunt successfully thwarted the alleged kidnapper, aided by a local good Samaritan who also stepped in to help.
The would-be kidnapper was identified and caught, and has now been arrested in relation to the crime.
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The whole incident was caught on video.
In a grainy surveillance video, you can see the suspect walk down the street, simply pick up the 7-year-old girl off her bike and carry her off to his car.
The girl's aunt then runs after the car in an attempt to stop the kidnapping attempt. Then another car pulls in front of the kidnapper's vehicle, blocking its ability to drive off.
Her family is speaking out about the incident.
FOX 2 News Detroit talked to the girl's uncle, Dylan Childers, shortly after the kidnapping attempt. Childers, his wife, and their 8-year-old son were at the park with his niece when the alleged kidnapping attempt happened. As they were leaving, the suspect stopped his car, "grabbed her by her hair and carried her to the car real quick."
That's when his wife sprang into action — even their son attempted to stop the car by riding his bike in front of it. Unfortunately, the boy was run over, injuring his leg in the process.
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The whole ordeal was described as a 'nightmare.'
Childers' wife, Alecia Awejkoski, spoke with Inside Edition about going into "warrior mode" and making every effort possible to save her niece. Awejkoski dove through the driver's side window, wrestling with the suspect over the steering wheel in an attempt to keep him from driving.
"It was literally my worst nightmare and it keeps playing out in my head over and over and over again," Awejkoski explained. "That's [all] I could think about, was getting her out of that car."
Luckily, a good Samaritan stepped in to help save the young girl.
Scott Van Luven, a volunteer with Citizens Patrol for almost 20 years, just happened to be at the right place at the right time and witnessed the incident.
"I honestly don't even want to know what could have happened. He could have gotten away very easily," Van Luven told Inside Edition. Awejkoski called the man "an angel."
He immediately jumped in to help, driving in front of the suspect's car and making it impossible for him to drive off. "As I turned around, I seen the [man] backing up — [which] is when he ran over the little boy," Van Luven told FOX 2 News. "So then I pulled in front of his vehicle."
The suspect has been identified and charged.
Both outlets reported that the police identified the suspect as 23-year-old Endi Bala. Records show that Bala, who has a history of prior arrests, had allegedly attempted to kidnap a 15-year-old girl an hour before the younger girl's alleged kidnapping attempt.
"The suspect was charged with attempted unlawful imprisonment, a five year felony, and assault and battery, a 93-day-misdemeanor, in the Clinton Township incident," a release from the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office via FOX 2 News, said. "He was charged with kidnapping/child enticement, a life felony, reckless driving, a 93-day misdemeanor, and assault and battery, a 93-day misdemeanor in the Sterling Heights incident." Bala has also been ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.
