TAMPA, Fla. -- A North Carolina man is accused of breaking into a hotel room and then trying to kidnap a 4-year-old over the weekend.
According to the Tampa Police Department, Desmond Johnson, 31, got inside a Hampton Inn at 4817 West Laurel Street on Saturday night. Johnson broke into one of the hotel rooms, where there were three children sitting on a bed, police said.
Johnson tried to grab a 4-year-old, but the child's mother -- who was in the bathroom when Johnson broke in -- heard the children yell and ran out to help, according to police.
Johnson and the mother began fighting for the 4-year-old child. Other hotel guests heard the screams, so they opened the door and let the mother and her children inside for their safety. However, Johnson followed the four victims and began fighting with the guests from the other room, polir said.
Johnson then pulled the child into the hall as the mother was holding onto him. An off-duty Palm Beach County deputy happened to be there, so the deputy was able to intervene and hold Johnson until officers arrived.
One witness recorded the tense moments after the alleged attempted kidnapping. The child's mother cries to a police officer, "He tried to kidnap my child. You can look at his shirt, I had to fight...I had my daughter in my hand." @abcactionnews pic.twitter.com/gfYq7cYIGH
— Ryan Smith (@RyanReports) June 15, 2020
Neither the mom or the children were hurt, TPD said. TPD said Johnson and the mother didn't know each other prior to the incident.
Johnson was charged with two counts of burglary with battery and a count of attempted kidnapping.
