A Florida man allegedly attempted to kidnap a 2-year-old boy from the backyard of his home, but was thwarted when the family dog loudly announced his presence.
Ron Lee Klein Jr., 36, was found by St. Petersburg police who happened to be in the area not long after his alleged attempt to kidnap the toddler on Dec. 27. According to the arrest affidavit, Klein allegedly entered the private, fenced-in backyard of a home in St. Petersburg through the gate. Police said he then allegedly tried to grab the little boy, but the family dog who witnessed the trespasser started barking loudly, letting the boy’s foster mother know that there was something going on.
The boy’s foster mother, who was not identified in the affidavit, followed the dog’s barks and witnessed Klein in her backyard. She started chasing Klein and yelling at him, at which point he fled without the child. The affidavit stated that Klein allegedly “grabbed” the toddler by the arm and tried picking him up, but stopped what he was doing when the dog “alerted” the boy’s foster mother.