Florida Girl, 6, Gets Dragged by a Stranger from Own Backyard – She Fights Him off with One Bite

Playing in the courtyard of her apartment complex could have turned into the worst nightmare for a 6-year-old Florida girl if not for her quick thinking and sharp learning skills. She used her memory to get herself out of the dangerous situation.

It’s normal for kids to play in the backyard after school with their siblings or friends. No parent can imagine such a typical situation turning into a horrifying incident that could change their lives forever.

The girl in today’s story was having a good time with her siblings when an unusual incident occurred. An unknown man allegedly approached her, but she saved herself from getting into trouble.

It was a regular day for the girl, Ah’lyric, who lives in an apartment on the 6500 block of Northeast 2nd Avenue in Miami when she experienced the unexpected on July 6, 2023. She was playing in the courtyard of her apartment complex with her siblings before the unusual incident occurred.

While Ah’lyric and her siblings were playing, they saw a white Range Rover stop outside the complex. Upon seeing a stranger come out of the vehicle, the girl’s siblings returned to their home, but she stayed on the stairs, unaware of the man’s intentions.

A few moments later, the little girl felt someone grab her arm and pull her towards them. It was the same man who had parked his vehicle earlier, but Ah’lyric didn’t know why he was suddenly trying to pick her up.

Sensing danger, Ah’lyric fought back, trying to escape from the man over twice her size. Once the little girl began resisting, the man reportedly picked her up and took her away from the apartment complex.

Just then, Ah’lyric recalled what her mother had taught her to do in such situations. Instead of giving up, the little girl did something that saved her life. She recalled in an interview with NBC South Florida:

“I bit him.”

Ah’lyric revealed that her mother taught her how to fight back. That one move helped her escape the scary situation that could have become a nightmare for her and her family. Once she bit the man, he dropped her and reportedly slapped her before leaving.

Fortunately, the man’s vehicle, including the license plate, was captured on a CCTV camera that helped the authorities catch him. In the footage, the suspect was seen parking his car, getting out of it, and returning hurriedly.

The license plate number led the police to 32-year-old Leonardo Venegas from North Miami. The authorities arrested him on July 8 with charges of kidnapping and child abuse that did not harm the body.

After the arrest, Venegas claimed he was visiting the area to check houses for sale, but police reports claim no one was selling their property in that locality. The suspect also said he ran because he heard someone scream but didn’t speak about Ah’Lyric.

Miami Police Captain, Freddie Cruz, spoke about the incident saying it was “not very common.” He advised parents to always stay with their children and only allow them to play outdoors under supervision.

While urging parents to be careful, Cruz revealed that the authorities were working on finding out if the suspect had tried kidnapping other kids in the area. He asked people to inform the authorities if they knew of any such incidents.

Click here to read another story about a clever boy who escaped his captor and bravely rescued his brother kidnapped earlier.