Texas boy saves 7-year-old girl from kidnapper

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A 7-year-old girl was saved from kidnapping and sexual assault by an 11-year-old boy in Wichita Falls, Texas.

According to television station KAUZ, the boy saw the alleged kidnapper, Raeshawn Perez, snatch up the girl while she was playing outside on Saturday.

“She was riding her scooter and he picked her up and started walking, and I chased after him. I thought it was her cousin or somebody,” the boy, TJ Smith, said.

He had a feeling something was wrong and told his neighbor, James Ware, what was happening. Ware then ran outside but had to go back for his keys. In the meantime, the young boy followed the kidnapper and was able to tell Ware where he took the girl.

When Ware got to the scene, he said that Perez looked like he was about to put the girl through a window.

Perez tried to run away, but Ware and another adult stopped him.

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Perez, 26, told police that he was going to have sex with the girl. He has since been charged with aggravated kidnapping and is being held in the local county jail.

Wichita Falls Mayor Stephen Santellana as well as Wichita Falls Police Department Chief Manuel Borrego have praised TJ and the other witnesses for their heroic acts.

TJ was even presented with a certificate of appreciation on Thursday for his bravery.

“One of our goals is to have our citizens assist us in preventing crime, looking out for each other and being good neighbors,” Borrego said.

“We certainly don’t want them to put themselves at risk, but in this situation, I think the bravery of this young little boy and the bravery of the two other individuals was unique and necessary and I don’t think they thought twice about it.”