Traumatized mother had a desperate tug-of-war with female stranger who tried to grab her two-year-old son in the city center
- Mother said the woman tried to take her son, 2, to the Entertainer store in Reading
- Thames Valley is investigating the alleged incident on Tuesday, April 25
A traumatized mother today recounted a desperate tug-of-war to stop a screaming female stranger who tried to snatch her two-year-old child outside a toy store in broad daylight while saying “he’s not your son.”
The terrifying incident has sent shockwaves through Reading, Berkshire, and prompted a police alert to other parents as the hunt for the would-be kidnapper intensifies.
The mother, who has not been named, described how the attempted child abduction took place on Tuesday, April 25, after she left The Entertainer toy shop on Broad Street in the center of Reading.
The mother posted a message on a community Facebook group saying, “Away with my two-year-old son and two friends with their children when I was approached by a woman who threatened me and tried to take my child away.
“She yelled at me to stay away from my own child, threw down her bag and tried to grab it off the floor.”
A traumatized mother today spoke of a desperate tug-of-war to stop a screaming female stranger who tried to snatch her two-year-old child outside an Entertainer toy store (pictured) in Reading, Berkshire
The mother contacted police who advised her to go to the nearest store, Primark (pictured), and wait inside
The young boy’s mother added: “I quickly pulled him away and asked her not to touch my child and to leave us alone, to which she replied: get off him, he is not your son.”
The mother said she won the desperate tug-of-war to stop the stranger from taking her boy, while other customers stared in amazement at the tussle.
She contacted the police who advised her to go to the nearest store, Primark, and wait inside.
A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said: ‘We are investigating an incident which happened on Broad Street on Tuesday (25/4) around 1.30pm.
“A woman approached a mother who was pushing her child in a pram.
The perpetrator then started yelling swear words at the mother and asked why her child was upset.
‘The child is then more upset by the screams of the perpetrator and the child has thrown herself on the floor.
‘The offended woman then walked towards the child with outstretched hands.
‘The mother then picked up her child and moved away. She then called the police.
An investigation is ongoing and anyone with information should call 911 with reference 43230179675.
“This is currently being investigated as a public order incident.”
