A museum receptionist became a hero Tuesday when the alert employee stopped a man who was already out on bail from grabbing a two-year-old girl and abducting her, while the adult accompanying the toddler had her back turned.
The name of the hero receptionist has not been released, nor has the name of the would-be victim. But police say a potentially serious crisis was halted by the fast-thinking receptionist.
The alleged near-abduction took place at the Maine State Museum in Augusta, Maine, Tuesday morning shortly before 11 a.m. According to witness accounts, 58-year-old James Cavallaro grabbed the toddler and attempted to leave the building with the little girl in his clutches.
The whole thing happened in a flash when the little girl’s grandmother, who had taken her to the museum, was hanging up their coats in a museum reception closet. The grandmother had turned her back for just a moment apparently when, in what must be every parent’s — or grandparent’s — worst nightmare, the predator swooped in and scooped the child up.
But before the man, identified by police as Cavallaro, could leave the building, the receptionist jumped into action and stopped the attempted abductor. According to the witness accounts, Cavallaro then released the little girl and fled.
But Cavallaro, a resident of Bath, Maine, didn’t get far. Police were on the scene quickly and arrested him in the Maine State Museum’s parking lot. They said that Cavallaro did not resist.
Though they did not specify the previous charge against Cavallaro, police said he was out on bail from that charge. Now he faced new charges of assault, as well as violating the conditions under which he was released.
Reporters for the Associated Press attempted to call Cavallaro, but found his number disconnected. Authorities said he is now being held in Kennebec County Jail.
Of course, the worst fear of any parent is to have a child abducted — and even worse if the parent is right there, glancing away for the briefest of moments when a predator strikes.
But the reality is, the James Cavallaro had succeeded in what he was allegedly trying to do, the abduction would have been a rare case.
Most child abductions are committed by a parent or caregiver of the victim. Studies show that each year, there are between 100 and 130 cases of stranger abduction in the United States, which represents a small fraction of the total number about 800,000 children reported missing annually.
Fortunately, thanks to an alert receptionist, James Cavallaro will not be adding to those abduction statistics.
