Good Samaritan stops child kidnapping suspect from escaping

ByCornell W. Barnard KGO logo
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Good Samaritan stops child kidnapping suspect from escaping in San Francisco
A mother and her two-year-old toddler are safe after a stranger tried to grab the child on the streets of San Francisco.

SAN FRANCISCO, California -- A mother and her 2-year-old toddler are safe after a stranger tried to grab the child on the streets of San Francisco. Luckily, a quick-thinking good Samaritan prevented the suspect from getting away.

Adam Walker says it happened so fast. On Friday, he and his wife Sabrina were walking with their son Leo when they passed a mother walking with her young son.

"Shortly after we walked by her, she was screaming, 'Police!' Someone had taken her child," said Adam.

Police say 34-year-old Roscoe Holyoake grabbed the 2-year-old child and started running, but suddenly stopped.

"He put the child down, smiled at everybody-- then started sprinting away," said Sabrina.

"Without thinking I took off running after him," Adam added.

Adam chased the suspect for several blocks and cornered the man. Neighbors called 911.

Holyoake, from East Victoria Park, Australia was arrested by SFPD on suspicion of kidnapping.

Sabrina is pretty proud of her brave husband.

"So proud, glad the child and mom are OK and nobody was hurt," said Sabrina.

As a parent, Adam said he didn't think twice about chasing down the suspect.

"In that situation, you don't think too much about it, act with your heart, not with your head."