Police: Abducted Pa. Girl Freed Self
Wed Jul 24,12:24 AM ET
By DAVID B. CARUSO, Associated Press Writer
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A 7-year-old kidnapped girl escaped her captors Tuesday night by chewing through duct tape binding her arms and legs, smashing a window and then calling to nearby playing children for help, police said.
One of the children rode a bike from the abandoned building where Erica Pratt was being held down the street to alert officers who were on patrol, Lt. Michael Chitwood said. The girl had been abducted, kicking and screaming, from in front of her home Monday evening and held for ransom.
Police were searching for two suspects late Tuesday. Chitwood said Erica had only minor injuries.
While being held in a police officer's arms, Erica waved to television cameras and beamed with a wide smile as she was returned to her grandmother's home.
"She's an amazing little girl," Chief Inspector Robert Davis said.
The girl had been left on a mattress in the basement of the building in northern Philadelphia with duct tape around her arms and legs and covering her eyes, police said.
"She was eventually able to free herself from the duct tape, she broke through the basement door, she made her way to the first floor and she couldn't get out, so she smashed the window," Chitwood said. "And she summoned help of a couple of little kids who were playing in front of the house."
The children pulled Erica out of the window, and one of them rode a bike to where the officers were patrolling, Chitwood said. Erica was taken to a hospital, where doctors evaluated her and removed the duct tape stuck in her hair. Police said she had a corneal abrasion on one eye, possibly from the tape.
"Our biggest concern is that the baby come back to us in good health and this is what she did," said the girl's great-grandmother, Geraldine Tate.
that is odd. 