An 11-year-old girl who was kidnapped while walking home was rescued after a perceptive couple recognized the blue car described in an Amber Alert. Charlotte Moccia had just gotten off the school bus when a man later identified as 24-year-old Miguel Rodriguez threatened her with a knife and “told her that if she screamed or tried to escape that he would kill her.” Thankfully, she’s now home safe and sound with her family, WCVB reports.
- Police issued an Amber Alert as soon as Charlotte was reported missing. Along with the Alert, they issued a photo of a blue Honda which they believe the kidnapper was driving. A few hours later, Amanda Disley and her husband, Benny Correa, were driving with their three children down Interstate 95 in Massachusetts when they saw the very same vehicle.
- Amanda and Benny immediately called the police. While they couldn’t be sure it was the exact vehicle that authorities were looking for, they “noticed the wheels automatically” because they matched the rims shown in the Amber Alert. They decided to follow their gut and call 911 while continuing to follow the car so they didn’t lose sight of it.
- Soon after, police arrived and pulled the car over in a work zone. Inside the vehicle, they found Charlotte in the backseat and immediately removed her. Rodriguez was then removed from the vehicle at gunpoint after officers noticed the knife in the driver’s side door.
- Rodriguez was arrested and taken into custody. Massachusetts State Police Lt. Charles Murray was thrilled with the outcome of the incident. “We are grateful that we had an opportunity to find and rescue her before something even worse happened,” he said in a statement. “I’m just ecstatic that we were able to return her safely. We just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”
- Charlotte seemed to be doing okay despite the terrifying experience. The little girl had no injuries but was evaluated by emergency workers before heading to a local hospital for evaluation. “She’s an amazing little girl,” said Massachusetts State Police Lt. Bob Ackerman. “I couldn’t believe how she kept it all together and just speaking with us. It’s amazing. I can’t believe how strong she was dealing with this.”
