NOVI, Mich. – A man from Dearborn is facing multiple charges after police said he tried to kidnap and sexually assault a 12-year-old inside a Novi grocery store.
The incident happened around 8 p.m. Sunday (Oct. 24) at a Kroger store in Novi on Grand River Avenue and Beck Road.
Novi police Lieutenant Jason Meier said he was shocked by the attempted kidnapping. Police said a mother, father, and their two daughters were shopping at the store when the incident happened.
Police said Mathias Mangone from Dearborn ran up to the mother and her daughters in one of the aisles and grabbed the 12-year-old girl. Police said Mangone said something that made it clear he intended to abduct the girl and sexually assault her.
“Mom fought him off by throwing whatever she could find on the shelves at him,” Meier said. “He ran away and he attempted to come back and do it again and she, again, fought him, pushed him away.”
Customers inside the Kroger store also called 911. Police said Mangone ran toward the exit as Novi police officers were running in to arrest him.
“Thank goodness that mom was on top of things and didn’t let her wander off, you know?” Kroger shopper Mary Kunka said.
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