HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – A neighbor shared video of the frightening commotion that took place after police say a man and woman tried to lure a 9-year-old girl into a van in a Hollywood neighborhood.
Hollywood police arrested Michael Diaz, 34, of Davie, and Taiana Tersano, 31, of Hollywood, on Friday following the incident in the 1900 block of McKinley Street, in the city’s Royal Poinciana neighborhood.
Neighbor Chris Watkins’ video shows the white panel van driving away from the scene after police said the girl’s mother’s boyfriend confronted the pair just after 4 p.m.
“It’s crazy,” Watkins said. “I have a 12-year-old daughter. She walks to school two blocks away.”
Tersano is accused of getting out of the van and telling the girl to “come here” before the girl’s mother’s boyfriend confronted her.
He told police that he saw the van pull up and watched Tersano get out, leading him to get out of his car and get in between Tersano and the girl in order to keep her from being kidnapped, arrest reports state.
Police said Tersano spit in his face and punched him, then made another attempt to take the girl; the man then punched Tersano in self-defense.
Both Diaz and Tersano said they were going to “come back and kill all of you,” the reports state. Police said Tersano ran back into the van and the two drove away with their own 7-year-old in tow.
A witness gave police a similar account; he told officers that Diaz yelled at Tersano to “Grab the f---ing kid!” as she attempted to take the girl, the reports state.
Diaz and Tersano were later released from jail. The pair are facing are facing multiple charges, including luring and enticing a child.
Parents in the neighborhood tell Local 10 News that they are urging their children to be extremely careful.