Florida churchgoers helped save two young girls from being kidnaped after one of the victims mouthed “help me, this is not my dad,” according to authorites
The two girls, both aged under 12, were leaving a diner outside of Tampa on Sunday night when 37-year-old David Daniels walked up to them and said he’d “supervise” their walk home, FOX13 reported.
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Daniels allegedly began smacking one of the girls over the head multiple times and proceeded to follow them, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said.
The girls then quickly jumped on their bikes and rode towards a church close by to ask for help. “One of the little girls was mouthing to me, ‘Please help me, this is not my dad,’” a woman, who was inside the church but didn’t want to be named, shared.
“He was kind of talking over her, right behind her, putting his arm around her neck and saying something in her ear, saying, ‘We just moved here, we just want to see how we can help do whatever you’re doing,’” she said.
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The churchgoers managed to keep a hold of Daniels until they were able to phone 911.
Daniels was taken into custody near the church and charged with child abuse and false imprisonment of a child. He is being held at the Hillsborough County Jail on a $104,000 bond.