A mother has described the moment she alleges a man tried to snatch her six-year-old daughter while they were out Christmas shopping in Northampton. Gemma Hyams, 34, claims the stranger grabbed her daughter's hood and dragged her along Bridge Street at around 1.45pm on Monday, November 2.
Gemma said her daughter Hattie screamed before the man let go and walked away. A 36-year-old man was arrested within 20 minutes of the incident and later released on police bail. Northamptonshire Police said its investigation remains ongoing.
What the mother said happened
Gemma, 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.'"
She added: "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."
Gemma said Hattie was pulled so hard that her coat rubbed against her neck, leaving a mark. The pair had been heading into town for early Christmas shopping while Hattie was off school for a teacher training day.
Aftermath and police response
After the incident, they ran towards TK Maxx 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."
The mother is angry that the case is being investigated as common assault rather than attempted kidnapping. She claimed officers had told her they could not pursue an attempted kidnapping charge because they could not prove what the man's intentions were. She also criticised the police investigation, claiming she had received little communication from officers and that CCTV footage had not been examined.
"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.
Impact on the family
Describing the impact 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."
