RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. – A man jumped off his bicycle and tried to kidnap a toddler out of a stroller in South Florida, demanding the child, police said.
Rene Raudales, 39, was arrested Wednesday by Riviera Beach police.
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According to a police report, Raudales followed a woman, a 13-year-old child and a 2-year-old child strapped into a stroller after they left a convenience store Wednesday afternoon.
The woman told police that Raudales was a few feet behind them, following them for several blocks and saying to her several times, "I want the baby." She said she told Raudales to leave them alone and that he wasn't getting the baby.
Eventually, the woman made it home with the two children, but when she went outside again to pick up a family member from school, Raudales was standing by the stroller, which she left in the yard, she told police.
The woman once again told Raudales to leave them alone, put the 2-year-old back in the stroller and walked with the children toward West Riviera Elementary School. She told police that Raudales followed them and continued to say, "I want the baby. Give me the baby."
As she yelled at Raudales to leave them alone, the woman told police, Raudales got off his bicycle, stood in front of the stroller and tried to unbuckle the child.
One of the alleged victims then struck Raudales in the face with the stroller, the report said. Raudales got back on his bicycle and told them that he would be back, the report said.
Police were notified and officers later spotted Raudales standing in a parking lot. Police said Raudales ran from the officers and ignored several commands to stop. Officers eventually caught up to Raudales and took him into custody.
Later, while being interviewed by a detective, Raudales said he had "no recollection of what happened and denied speaking to anybody," the report said.