Mom of 4
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GASTONIA - Police arrested a 22-year-old Gastonia man Thursday after they said he abducted a 9-year-old girl from her bed and dragged her into the woods.
Fred Michael Green, of the 100 block of Green Circle Drive, lived in the home where the girl, her 12-year-old brother and their mother rented a room.
Police say it was 3:30 Thursday morning when Green grabbed the girl by the neck, jerked her out of bed and out of the house. The girl screamed for help but Green told her to "shut up or he was going to kill her," according to police reports.
The girl's mother, Shawn Scruggs, was out of the home, taking a friend to the hospital when the alleged abduction happened, Scruggs said. She got the call about the alleged abduction and came home immediately.
Police say Green brought the girl to a grassy area near the home and told her to lay down, but she refused.
"She's a fighter," Scruggs said. "She's not going to go willingly."
After she refused to lie down, police say Green threw the girl into the woods. At one point, according to warrant affidavits, Green touched the girl on her legs.
Scruggs said Green saw the girl's 12-year-old brother, who apparently followed them after hearing his sister's screams. Green ran away and the girl ran towards her house, according to police reports.
"It was a good thing he was close by," Chambers said.
"He proved to be her little hero," Scruggs said.
Scruggs said she sensed Green was unstable but added, "He never gave any indication that anything like that was possible."
Scruggs said her daughter is doing OK. The girl has some marks on her legs, she is still scared and won't go outside by herself, Scruggs said.
"It could have been a lot worse," Scruggs said.
Police arrested Green close to the scene shortly after the alleged incident. He was taken to Gaston Memorial Hospital before he was taken to jail. Chambers wouldn't say why Green was taken to the hospital.
Police charged Green with first-degree kidnapping, indecent liberties with a child and communicating threats.
He is in Gaston County Jail under a $100,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court at 1:30 p.m. today.
http://www.gastongazette.com/news/girl_20811___article.html/police_green.html