A woman who appeared to attempt to abduct two children at a Volusia County beach park was arrested Monday afternoon after two parents reported they had to pull their kids away from her.
Sarah Freeman, 34 (DOB 4/1/1984), of Port Orange, was taken into custody on scene just a few minutes after the incident.
“I thought she was funny, right at first, and I wasn’t thinking much of it,” said one man who called 911 to report the incident around 1:27 p.m. at the Toronita Avenue Beach Park, 4200 S. Atlantic Ave., Wilbur-by-the-Sea. “And then it just went weird, out of nowhere.”
The first parent whose child was approached by Freeman told deputies Freeman told her something like: “This isn’t a Florida trip you’re going to want to remember,” and tried grabbed her 7-year-old daughter by the towel she was wearing. The mom, who is also 6 months pregnant, reacted quickly and pulled her daughter back, but Freeman hit her during the struggle.
Then Freeman went to another parent, who told deputies Freeman hit him in the backside with a stick and made a comment to the effect of: “We don’t know you around here.” She told his 5-year-old son: “It will be all right. He’s not your dad,” grabbed him by the arm and started to walk away. The father intervened, got his son back and took him back to his truck, where Freeman tried to force her way in through a passenger window.
Another witness said Freeman then turned to her and said, “I’ll just take your kid, then.” That parent and her child went to their vehicle and locked their doors.
The witnesses were able to describe Freeman in detail to VCSO dispatchers, and she was taken into custody within minutes. Once in custody, she mumbled and made unintelligible statements to a deputy, who noticed she appeared to be under the influence of some unknown substance.
Freeman was charged with two counts of attempted kidnapping and one count each of aggravated battery on a pregnant victim, burglary of a conveyance and battery. She was being held without bond Monday evening at the Volusia County Branch Jail.
The above text was taken directly from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office press release.
[…] 34-year-old Sarah Freeman is facing two kidnapping charges, and a count each of battery, aggravated battery (pregnant person), burglary of a conveyance, and contempt of court. The incident took place at the Toronita Avenue Beach Park, 4200 S. Atlantic Ave, around 1:27 p.m. on Monday, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office press release. […]