Children charged after trying to take toddler: police

TORONTO A 12-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy face a slew of charges in what police are labelling an “alarming” attempt to abduct a child from her mother in Toronto.

In the incident that one police officer described as “unique,” the young duo allegedly grabbed a 29year-old woman from behind as she was walking with her toddler late Thursday and demanded she hand over her daughter along with her money and her cellphone.

“This is a very alarming situation for having the effort to abduct a child ... The fact that it was committed allegedly by a 12-year-old female suspect and a 14-year-old is a major cause for concern,” Insp. Art Little told reporters. “I don’t know the motive for them desiring to take the child. I believe this is what is so offensive to our society.”

The mother was carrying her 21month-old daughter while walking in a quiet residential area around 11 p.m. in the city’s east end.

“These two suspects assaulted her, punched, kicked her, knocked her to the ground, and demanded her valuables, cash, phone and her baby,” he said.

“They continued to kick and punch her without any regard for the safety of the infant in her arms and at one point even managed to wrest the infant from her grasp. She fought back and was able to get her baby back.”

She called police, who arrived within minutes and captured the 12-year-old suspect a short distance away. The 14-year-old boy was located shortly after, Little said.