Posted on April 7, 2014

‘Run . . . Kick . . . Punch’: Little Girl Thwarts Abduction Attempt

Kara Kostanich, KOMO News, April 4, 2014

A 6-year-old Parkland girl is safe today because of her smart, quick actions when two men tried to kidnap her in broad daylight in her own neighborhood.

The drama unfolded Wednesday as the little girl, Savanna Norman, was walking home after playing and jumping on the trampoline at the home of her friend, 9-year-old Raquelle Pittenger, who lives right across the street.

“I looked both ways, and there was no one coming but . . . then I went halfway across the street, two guys came out of nowhere,” Savanna says.

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“They grabbed me,” says Savanna.

But Savanna’s smart moves made her mom very proud.

“Run . . . and kick . . . and punch,” says the little girl.

“What’s the No. 1 thing you did that got everybody’s attention around the whole neighborhood?” asks Savanna’s mom, Amy Norman.

“I kicked him,” says Savanna. “I screamed loud.”

This 6-year-old knows “stranger danger” well.

“‘Cause mommy teaches me,” she says.

Amy saw the attempted kidnapping from her front window, and dashed out the door.

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Now the Normans are considering moving from their neighborhood–or at the very least putting a fence up around their house.

The prime suspect, Jakeel Rashon Mason, was arrested and booked into the Pierce County Jail for investigation of unlawful imprisonment. He is being held on $150,000 bail.

Meanwhile, Savanna’s family just learned that Mason lives only a few blocks from their house.