A mother has described the moment she claims a stranger tried to drag away her six-year-old daughter while they were shopping in Northampton town centre. Gemma Hyams, 34, alleges the man grabbed her daughter Hattie's hood and pulled her along Bridge Street shortly before 2pm on November 2. The child screamed before the man released her and walked away, The Mirror reports.
Mother's account of the incident
Mrs Hyams, from Welford, Northamptonshire, said: "We were holding hands and getting near the shops when this man started walking really close behind us and he was saying to Hattie: 'Hello little girl.' It was a bit weird, so we tried to quicken our pace, but he grabbed her hood and tried to drag her off me. I kept holding her hand and just started screaming at him to let her go. He then said something like 'five, eight, zero' and walked off."
Hattie was pulled so hard that her coat rubbed against her neck, leaving a mark, according to mum Gemma. The pair had been heading into town for some early Christmas shopping while Hattie was off school for a teacher training day.
Aftermath and police response
Following the ordeal, the pair ran towards a TK Maxx store and "sat there crying until the police came", Gemma said. "I asked them to bring me home because my daughter and I were too scared to walk back into town."
A 36-year-old man was arrested within 20 minutes and later released on police bail. Northamptonshire Police said inquiries remain ongoing. Officers are currently investigating the case, but as a common assault, to Gemma's dismay, instead of attempted kidnapping. She adds that officers had told her they could not pursue an attempted kidnapping charge because they could not prove what the man's intentions were.
Family's distress and ongoing investigation
Gemma also claims that she has had very little communication with police throughout the investigation, and that officers are yet to look through CCTV footage of the incident. "I had to contact them myself to get a crime reference number, and we haven’t had a follow-up call to check on our welfare. I just feel deeply let down by the police," she said.
Describing the impact of the alleged incident on her family, Gemma said: "My daughter will never want to go into town with me again without her dad there because she’s petrified. I even told her that I was going to go Christmas shopping today, and she’s scared for me. She’s six years old. It has absolutely traumatised our family. Her dad is heartbroken he wasn’t there to keep us safe."
A Northamptonshire Police spokesperson said: "The investigation into this incident remains ongoing. Enquiries have included CCTV reviews, and officers are continuing to gather and assess all available evidence. The victim's mother was last updated by officers on November 3, when she was advised that enquiries remain ongoing and that, once all available evidence has been obtained and reviewed, a full assessment will be made regarding the most appropriate offence to investigate. We appreciate the impact this incident has had on those involved and will continue to maintain contact with the victim’s family as the investigation progresses."
