Mom fights off man trying to kidnap 12-year-old daughter at Kroger, Michigan cops say

A man was arrested Sunday after police say he attempted to kidnap a 12-year-old girl multiple times inside a Kroger grocery store.

The alleged attempting kidnapping occurred Sunday night at the Kroger in Novi, a Michigan town about 29 miles northwest of Detroit. Mathias Mangone, 24, is accused of trying to grab the girl twice as she was in the store with her parents and sister, WXYZ reported.

The girl’s mother fought off Mangone before help arrived, according to the Novi Note.

Jail records show Mangone was charged with attempted kidnapping and assault with intent to commit sexual penetration. He is being held on a $1 million bond.

Novi Police Lt. Jason Meier said the family is shaken up but no injuries were reported, according to MLive.com.

“Novi is an extremely safe community, but this is proof that these things can happen anywhere,” Meier told news outlets. “We encourage parents to always be cognizant of their children’s whereabouts and teach them from an early age what to do when approached by strangers.”