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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Neighbor credited with thwarting attempted kidnapping of 5-year-old in Spokane

From staff reports

From staff reports

The attempted kidnapping of a 5-year-old boy was thwarted Thursday by a quick-thinking neighbor who police are praising for intervening.

Officers with the Spokane Police Department say they responded around 5:15 p.m. to the 1600 block of West Mission Ave. for a reported attempted abduction.

Witnesses told officers that a man had approached the boy and tried to carry him away, but a “vigilant neighbor” confronted the suspect and yelled at him to stop. The suspect, Felix M. Booth, 35, let the boy go and ran away, officers said.

Officers found Booth nearby and arrested him on suspicion of second-degree attempted kidnapping.

The boy was not physically hurt, officers said.

“A child is home safe with his family tonight due to the vigilance of a neighbor to recognize something was wrong and the courage to confront the suspect,” officers wrote in a press release. “Please take the time to get to know your neighbors. You never know when it may save a life.”