A dramatic attempt to kidnap a child inside a Miami Beach CVS was thwarted by the child’s father, with the incident caught on surveillance video, leading to the arrest and charging of 26-year-old Nicolas Metternich Sternaman.
The event unfolded at approximately 11:55 a.m. on Thursday at the CVS located at 7400 Collins Ave. Surveillance footage reported by WSVN7 News, showed Sternaman entering the store and immediately seizing the boy, who was near the exit with his father.
Sternaman is accused of “violently grabbing the child by his neck from behind, lifting the child off the ground,” according to the arrest report.
The boy’s father quickly intervened, grappling with Sternaman in an effort to protect his son.
“The victim’s father, in fear of his child being abducted, immediately grabbed the defendant, and the defendant let the child off of his grasp,” the arrest report detailed.
The struggle ended with the father successfully freeing his son from Sternaman’s grip.
Sternaman fled the scene but was pursued by the child’s father, who alerted a nearby police officer.