Northeast

Eleven-year-old girl kicks kidnapper to escape

Plucky kid manages to get away from two men and run into a nearby shop to raise the alarm.

A would-be kidnapper in Massachusetts found his target tougher than he had bargained for during a botched abduction attempt over the weekend.

Andrew Merriam is charged with trying to kidnap an 11-year-old girl in the city of Worcester.  

Police said Merriam and another man approached the girl in the area of Endicott and Vernon streets just before 8 p.m. Sunday. According to investigators, Merriam asked her if she wanted to see his dog and then grabbed her. The girl struggled to get away and was finally able to kick him hard and break free. She ran into a nearby business and raised the alarm.

The intended target gave police a description of the man, later identified as Merriam, and an officer eventually spotted him walking toward Kelley Square. Merriam was arrested, but officers had not yet tracked down the other man as of Monday afternoon.

Merriam, 51, was charged with enticing a child and assault and battery. He was set to make his first court appearance on Monday

Authorities have not yet released a motive for the attempted kidnapping but said that the girl was not hurt during the incident.

According to local news station WCVB5, Merriam’s defense attorney said his client “categorically denies the allegations” and said he had just a brief, verbal exchange.

The other man is described as Black man, who is possibly balding and was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, according to the outlet.

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