Police: 8-year-old escapes potential kidnapper

COVINGTON, Ga. - Covington Police are investigating a possible kidnapping attempt of an 8-year-old girl. It happened at the Wellington Ridge Apartments.

Catricia Harris says her 8-year-old daughter was visiting her cousins at the apartment complex Saturday. She says there were about 10 kids at the playground near the back of the complex when her daughter lost a shoe and went to retrieve it near the woods.

"A man popped out of the woods and grabbed her by her arm and twisted it, she said she thought it was going to break. She said he was strong like daddy, not like mommy," said Harris.

Covington Police say the man tried to pull her away from the playground.

"He started to drag her into the woods, she was able to fight him off and she ran away," said Covington Police Officer Allan Seebaran.

The girl told detectives the man disappeared into the woods. Police say the girl described the stranger as a white man wearing gloves and a black ski mask.

Residents and visitors at the apartment complex are on edge.

"It's scary because I have an 8-year-old little girl too, I can't imagine if someone tried to take her," said Sheldon Thaon.

"That's shocking, really scary, there are a lot of kids over here," said Steve Vining.

Harris says it's terrifying when she stops to think what could have happened.

"The 'what if?', what if something else would have happened to her, that's the scary part," said Harris.

Covington Police are asking if anyone has trail cams set up in the woods next to the apartment complex to check their video and if they see anyone suspicious to give them a call.