A quick-thinking mom rescued her 5-year-old son during an attempted kidnapping in Richmond Hill on Thursday, July 15, and police have arrested one of the two men believed to be connected to the incident.
The incident began Thursday evening when a four-door maroon sedan — believed to be an older model — can be seen on video surveillance pulling up in front of 117-02 Hillside Ave. near Myrtle Avenue around 8 p.m. on July 15.
The driver can be seen jumping out of the car and sprinting toward the sidewalk, where he grabbed the young boy and threw him into the car. The boy’s mother can be seen racing to the car and with the help of two of her children, they pulled the boy through the open front passenger window.
Several men can be seen walking toward the car as the driver hits the gas heading southbound on Hillside Avenue and then westbound on Jamaica Avenue, according to the NYPD.
James McGonagle, 24, of Parsons Boulevard, near the Pomonok Houses, was cuffed Friday evening, July 16, and charged with attempted kidnapping, reckless endangerment and acting in a manner injurious to a child less than 17, according to the NYPD.
The NYPD is still looking for the passenger in the car, who is described as a light-skinned man who is approximately 50 to 60 years old and was last seen with eyeglasses, an orange shirt, blue jeans and black shoes, according to authorities.
Anyone with information in regard to the identity of the suspects is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at nypdcrimestoppers.com, or on Twitter @NYPDTips.
