7:00PM EST: A young child was almost abducted in the heart of Williamsburg at approximately 5:45PM Wednesday afternoon.
Williamsburg Shomrim tell YWN that a Chasidish man approached a 4-year-old child waiting for his mother outside a store on the corner of Bedford Avenue and Penn Street. The man apparently asked the child a question or two, and then grabbed his hand and started forcing him to walk towards Williamsburg Street. The child started fighting the man, and a woman passerby who saw what was happening ran in the store and told the mother. She ran outside, and upon seeing the mother, the abductor let the child go and fled the location.
Dozens of Williamsburg Shomrim and NYPD were dispatched, and a manhunt is currently underway. The man is approximately 35-years-old, has long Peyos, had a plastic “rain protector” over his hat, a shopping bag in one hand, and a laptop-bag slung over his shoulder.
Additionally, YWN had learned that the incident was recorded on the stores video surveillance cameras, and detectives are currently analyzing it.
If you have any information which can assist in this investigation, please call Williamsburg Shomrim at 718-237-0202.
(YW-104 / YW-112)
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32 Responses
Hope they catch him, but they all look the same.
He probably wanted to teach the mother a well deserved lesson, “DON’T LEAVE YOUR CHILD UNSUPERVISED” (Would you leave your diamond necklace outside unsupervised? of course not!)
The only question is, why did he run away? He should have confronted the mother….
My two questions remains, why wasn’t this child in the store with the mother and what did this man ask this child. My guess is, where is your mother? And why are you out here alone.
y2r WHAT!!! Are you seriously giving
this guy an excuse? Are you serious?
My question is why wasn’t the child with the mother? What if Chas V’Sholom there wasn’t a woman walking by? What if the police were there and saw this? My guess a big chillul Hashem to the Jewish community. When will wake up and realize that we are still in Galus not Geulah? When its too late?? Children are more precious than diamonds. When will you realize? I think it is a wake up call.
This might have been an imposter pretending to be a Chosid. While many Chasidim use computers very few carry laptops.
Then again, the rain protecter is quite authentic.
Why can’t the streets be safe enough that children should (gasp) be able to play outside without holding the mother’s hand?
It’s not like the mother wasn’t around!!
the guy wouldnt have run if he was really concerned about the kid but can someone explain why it is ok to leave children alone on the streets. i see all over brooklyn signs no carriages allowed—so dont take your kids shopping with you and dont leave the 4 yr old to watch the 1 yr old outside….i hope everyone in the area learned a lessson from what happened
B”H
We are often too quick to think negatively of others, which is especially bad when we are specifically commanded to do the opposite.
I have a hard time believing the guy was doing something honorable if he fled, but I will wait until the whole story is told before jumping to a conclusion.
I am just thanking G-d the child is OK, and hope the mother will, likewise, be given an opportunity to explain before others draw conclusions. (Four-year-olds are notorious for wandering off in the blink of an eye, and they are very capable of turning doorknobs on their own. Thank G-d they are also capable of VERY LOUD YELLING.)
Theres too many cases of perps dressing like a chosid or other Yid.
#1/NYPHoto – These perps usually make tell tale errors in dressing up like a Jew.
just something to consider before you all jump to condemn:
do all of you know that a 4 year old child can run out of a store in a wink? the mother could have turned around for a second and if the kid had no patience to shop he could be gone in an instant. it’s not like a baby in a carriage.
#11 nice comment & especially since its coming from a Mrs.Doubtfire.
Sadly children of young ages are left alone all the time, and mostly for “convenience” reasons. Take Lakewood for instance, If you walk around complexes you will see dozens of 2 & 3 year old toddlers wandering the street, without a parent in sight. I think parents should be charged with negligence in cases such as these. I hope this child is ok, and doing well. I also hope parents learn from this, because next time you may not be so lucky.
YWN should post the video from the store in Willamsburg.
#7 – HERE’S THE RULE; NEVER LEAVE A CHILD UNATTENDED IN A PUBLIC PLACE. THE MOTHER SHOULD BE ARRESTED FOR CHILD NEGLECT. THE WHOLE 13TH AVENUE IS FULL OF THESE CARRIAGES AND KIDS THAT ARE LEFT UNATTENDED. WE SPEAK ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME. WHY DO MOTHERS STILL DO THIS?
Calm down…
Please wait until the facts are clear…
I see it the whole time How can a Yideshe mother leave a child outside in the stroler on there own???
Please noshim Sidkones please be careful.
It’s interesting. Or rather scary. I live in Williamsburg & this area is full at this time – weird that this kidnapper tried his luck in broad daylight.
Willi- when you see poeple all the time walking holding kids hands it looks quite normal if the kidnapper fits right in with the crowd. Daylight could mean nothing even if the kid gives a fight cuz kids these days have no issue with fighting and tantrums in the streets when they want their way. So it doesnt faze me tht it was in the day.
This happened in front of a store which has an automatic door and I would assume that the child was probably playing with it, going in and out. Four year olds are sometimes notorious for running so I don’t think people should automatically blame the mother.
I have a feeling this man is devorced from this mother and the child is theirs and perhaps its a fight I’ve seen to many of these stories let’s wait n see
I agree with all those above who are saying the mother has part in this by leaving the boy (who according to the story was 4). This leaving kids unattened outside while mothers shop happens all ove Brooklyn, its dangerous and they should be more respondsible. Saying this does not mean what this guy tried to do was right, he should be caught and brought to justice. However, I hope this is a lesson to all, NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE, YOU CAN’T LEAVE YOUR (LITTLE) KIDS UNATTENDED EVER cuz things like this are bound to happen.
Great discription of the guy, im sure they’ll be able to recognize him, and how can a 4 year old fight off a 35 year old? Possibly a very strong kid.
Of course the mothers should watch their kids and take responsibility. But to #2,and #3, both of you should seek professional help. aty least come up with a mature response to this. especially #2!
let’s get things clearly:
Yes , mothers MUST keep a eye 24/7 on their kids, but yes- a 4 year old kid can make a run away 4 a second & get lost 4 a short while.
& all writters above , don’t try to sell me the brooklyn bridge that u NEVER left your kid alone …
again , there r some mothers that are having a breakdoun from so many kids @ home & are less observent, buy let’s understand that its not a GOLD bracelite that stays in one place & so on…
ok??
While, it is true that we don’t know the details of this story and whether or the child ran out of the store or was left out of the store, we all should learn from this incident.
I grew up out of town and was always shocked when I would come to New York and see how people routinely left strollers and young children outside of stores as they shopped. Now I live in New York and I STILL am appalled when I see this. Unfortunately, there are more and more “crazies” out there, and it is simply unsafe to leave young children unsupervised. Busy shopping areas are not safer just beacuse their are tons of frummies, lehepach, it’s easier to blend in with the crowd. And even without the crazies, a stroller can get pushed around, a child could run into a street chas v’shalom…the point is we have to watch our children all the time. Tragedies can happen in the blink of any eye!
Word of advice: If the store does not allow strollers, bring a front pack (Snugli, Baby Bjorn, etc.) for the baby. If you have a toddler that can’t stay still, buy one of those children’s leashes. (I know some people don’t like the look of a child in a harness, but I would rather my kid safe!) If all else fails, perhaps consider hiring a babysitter while you shop. Remember your children are priceless, and at the very least worth more than the cost of a sitter.
May we only hear besuros tovos!
Ok so why is everyone blaming the mother?
Is anyone going to blame this sicko?
He is the one everyone should be blaming
and looking for not the mother, fine so she
make a mistake but this guy is the
one who you should be blaming.
if it can happen in Williaburg, it can happen………
I remember the day when mothers would leave their babies in carriages outside of stores in Boro Park. I’m not all that old as that comment might seem.
#29 it’s not the first time such a thing happened in williamsburg. (hopefully the last..)
#30 You are so right on target. Mothers and fathers still leave their baby carriages and children outside. I see it all of the time. Some people just don’t care. They just go in and shop and leave their children outside. And this Williamsburg mother-their must be more to the story. Or else the police and Shomrim would be involved. How come they weren’t called?
if you want to leave them outside, get some gps tracker embedded into them