Kent man charged with attempted kidnapping of 6-year-old girl

A 40-year-old Kent man faces a second-degree attempted kidnapping charge for allegedly trying to take a 6-year-old girl from an apartment complex parking lot.

King County prosecutors charged Hayder Albu Mohammed on Friday, July 19, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Albu Mohammed is scheduled to be arraigned at 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 1 in Courtroom GA at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.

As of July 19, Albu Mohammed remained in custody at the King County Correctional Facility in Seattle with bail set at $250,000, according to jail records.

“The facts of this case are quite concerning, and quite simply, every parent’s worse nightmare,” wrote Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Lakeysha Washington in charging documents. “The defendant attempted to take the victim child without her and her parent’s permission. It was only the fast thinking of minor witnesses that prevented this from becoming a full blown out kidnapping.”

Kent Police arrested Albu Mohammed July 16 at the Meridian Green Townhomes Apartments, 11305 SE Kent-Kangley Road.

Officers responded at about 8 p.m. to the apartment complex after a 911 caller said a man was attempting to abduct a young child, according to charging documents.

Officers arrived at the complex and were flagged down by three 11-year-old girls who witnessed the incident. All three girls live at the apartment complex and pointed in the direction of Albu Mohammed. Officers took him into custody.

While questioned by police, Albu Mohammed, through an Arabic interpreter, said he asked a young girl to help him with his prayer beads and that he didn’t do anything wrong, according to charging papers. He said he was just 20 seconds from home and the girl appeared in front of him by coincidence. He said the girl said she would help him, which she did and then left.

Albu Mohammed said he never touched the girl or picked her up and he didn’t understand why officers detained him.

The three girls told officers that they were playing outside when they heard an ice cream truck driving through, according to charging documents. They said the 6-year-old girl went to catch up with the ice cream truck along with them.

The girls said they knew Albu Mohammed was not related to or friends with the young girl. They said he gripped her hand extremely tight. They yelled out to Albu Mohammed if he was related to the girl, according to court documents. The man reportedly told them to shut up and walk away. The girl shook her head that she was not related to the man.

Albu Mohammed reportedly picked up the girl and started to run with her in his arms, according to charging papers. One of the girls began to record the incident with her cellphone as they ran after Albu Mohammed. The girls yelled at him to put the girl down as they chased him. He put the girl down and one of the girls grabbed her, pulled her away and the girls all ran away toward the young girl’s home.

The family of the young girl told police they did not know Albu Mohammed or give him permission to take the girl anywhere at any time.