A 13-year-old boy has been arrested after he allegedly tried to kidnap two women in Vero Beach, south-east Florida, after his mother recognised the chilling photo released by police showing him lurking outside his alleged victims’ homes.
The teenager, whose name has not been released, has been charged with one count of attempted kidnapping after approaching the women on July 2 and July 7.
The alleged incidents occurred in the Pointe West neighborhood, west of Vero Beach.
Both women managed to get away from the teenager by screaming, pushing him or running.
When police questioned the boy, he told officers he was in a “dream-like” state.
A 13-year-old boy was arrested after he allegedly tried to kidnap two women in Vero Beach, southeast Florida. He was seen hanging around the Pointe West neighborhood
The boy was seen loitering outside a home in the neighborhood when the women were attacked.
Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said that after an interview with the teen, deputies believe the boy has mental issues.
“We asked him if it was sexual, what it was, why he did that,” Sheriff Flowers explained. NBC6.
‘His story was that he felt like he was in a dream state, that he was watching himself from above, that he didn’t know if it was real or a dream… We think his intention was definitely more.’
During the second incident, the boy revealed that he was carrying a knife at the time.
The boy’s mother recognized her son in some of the images released by police and confronted him.
Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said that after an interview with the teen, deputies believe the boy has mental issues.
So far, the teen has only been charged with one count of attempted kidnapping, though police are aware of a third incident in which the same boy followed her home while she was walking her dog and then knocked on her door.
Surveillance footage showing the teen stalking the neighborhood led investigators to him.
The boy’s mother later confronted her son after appearing to recognize him in still images from surveillance footage.
“There’s no belief that he’s on drugs, but I’ll tell you, Mom sat in our room today and talked about how he’s a compulsive liar, that he believes his own lies, that he’s been that way since he was 5 years old, that she can’t trust anything he has to say,” Sheriff Flowers said.
We think he definitely has some issues, some mental health issues… that’s something the courts will look at.”