Boy Escapes Abduction By Allegedly Punching Masked Man In Face

KEY POINTS

A British schoolboy was allegedly able to escape a kidnapping attempt by two masked men
He punched one of his would-be abductors in the face as he was being dragged into a black van
Police are now investigating the incident and have arranged to speak with the boy and his mother

A boy in West Midlands, England escaped an abduction attempt earlier this week after he allegedly punched one of the would-be kidnappers in the face as he was being dragged inside a vehicle.

The unnamed boy was walking on Garratts Lane in Cradley Heath, Sandwell at around 8 a.m. Monday to go to school when two masked men in a black van pulled up and tried to drag him inside the vehicle, the Birmingham Mail reported.

The student was allegedly able to punch one of the men in the face, which thwarted the abduction, according to a text alert issued by the boy's unidentified school.

West Midlands Police are investigating the incident and have arranged to speak with the boy and his mother.

"An appointment has been made to speak to a boy and his mother, after it is alleged two men in a van tried to grab him," a spokesman for West Midlands Police was quoted as saying in response to the school's text alert.

"We understand incidents of this nature are concerning. We'll be speaking to [the boy and his mother] as soon as we can to get the full details," the spokesman added.

Anyone with information regarding the incident can contact West Midlands Police via Live Chat quoting log 816 of Oct. 4.

A similar incident happened in Florida last May when an 11-year-old girl fought back during an attempted kidnapping and was able to escape.

Alyssa Bonal was sitting alone at her bus stop at the corner of Old Corry Field Road and Perdido Street in Escambia County at around 7 a.m. on May 18 when a man with a knife ran toward her and grabbed her by the neck.

The man, later identified as Jared Paul Stanga, returned to his vehicle after a struggle with Bonal because the girl was able put blue slime on him.

"I was able to get the slime onto his upper arm and a little bit on his lower arm... I knew that might be better evidence if the cops do find him," Bonal said.

Detectives arrested Stanga later that day with his arms still streaked with blue dye. He was jailed on May 20 on a $1.5 million bond on charges of attempted kidnapping, battery and assault.

Stanga has a history of sexual offences, which included sexual offences against children, according to police.