LegalReader.com  ·  Legal News, Analysis, & Commentary

News & Politics

Suspect Attempts to Kidnap Two Infants From Daycare Center


— September 12, 2017

Suspect Attempts to Take Two Infants From Daycare Center


It’s every working parent’s worst nightmare.  Despite all of the security measures in place, the credible staff and organized curriculum, the daycare a child is dropped off at gets an unwelcomed visitor and soon two babies are soon found missing from their room.  This was the scene at a Delaware care center late last week as a suspect entered and attempted to kidnap the children.

Calvin Davis, 47, rang the front doorbell to get access into Happy Kids Academy in Newark at around 7 a.m. and was greeted by a female worker whom he immediately pushed aside to make his way through the door and directly over to the infant room.  Another female worker confronted him and he started a verbal confrontation with her before punching her the face and picking up two nearby babies, cradling one under each arm and heading back toward the exit.  Davis was blocked from leaving by another caregiver who managed to grab a baby from him.  The second child was caught as it was slipping from the man’s grasp.

Suspect Attempts to Take Two Infants From Daycare Center
Image Courtesy of NBC Philadelphia

Unable to kidnap the infants, Davis ran, punching a car in the parking lot with apparent frustration.  Following the incident, a description of the suspect was broadcast on local media and an officer happened to notice Davis walking out from a residential building close by.  He ordered him to stop and put his arms up, but the suspect refused, so he was shot with a stun gun, after which Davis proceeded to approach the officer. The officer tripped and fell backward, again deploying the Taser unsuccessfully.

In a news release, Sgt. Richard D. Bratz recounted the details of the incident. “The officer deployed his Taser in order to stop the suspect from coming closer to him,” he said.  “However, it was largely ineffective.  While trying to reload his taser and put distance between himself and the suspect, the officer tripped on a curb causing him to fall backward and sustain injury.  The officer, while on the ground was able to deploy another Taser round which struck the suspect in the chest, but again was ineffective.”  Davis continued to approach.  Finally, “The Officer switched to the ASP baton and struck at the suspect to gain compliance at which point he was able to take him into custody,” Bratz explained.

Suspect Attempts to Take Two Infants From Daycare Center
Image Courtesy of Delaware State Police

Davis was transported to a psychiatric hospital for a mental health evaluation.  Once released, he will be charged with a slew of crimes including kidnapping, burglary, resisting arrest and assault of an officer, among others.  The officer who fell was taken to a hospital.  Fortunately, the two babies Davis attempted to take were largely injured. “One of the infant victims sustained a minor laceration during the incident,” Bratz said.

Just last month, a suspect attempted to kidnap several children from a daycare facility in Prince George, Canada, but was successfully stopped by its female owner, Chelsi Sabbe.  She noticed the man approaching the children outside of the center right after she had taken them to the playground, and as he grabbed one of them, she physically attacked him while simultaneously taking the others to safety.  Sabbe credits her mixed martial arts training to being able to take down the suspect.  Kenneth John, 35, was arrested and charged with attempted kidnapping, assault and obstructing a police officer.

Sources:

Day care workers stop creep from running off with 2 tots: cops

Day care workers in Delaware stop man from taking 2 infants

Prince George, B.C. Daycare Owner Fights Off Alleged Child Abductor

Join the conversation!