Price Chopper staff saw 37-year-old 'forcibly removing a girl from store'—her astute action saved the girl's life
Incidents involving children’s safety in public places are always deeply concerning to communities. Parents and shoppers expect stores to be safe spaces, but sometimes, alarming events remind us to stay vigilant. One such disturbing incident recently unfolded in Binghamton, drawing quick action from bystanders and law enforcement. As reported by WNBF, police responded to Price Chopper supermarket on Glenwood Avenue around 6:15 p.m. on August 1 after receiving reports of an assault and possible attempted kidnapping.
Upon arrival, officers found that people inside the store had already detained the suspect, 37-year-old Donald Beetlestone of Binghamton. According to investigators, the incident involved an 8-year-old girl who had been shopping with her mother. Beetlestone allegedly approached the child while she was alone in the produce section, struck her with a bottle, and tried to forcibly remove her from the store.
Thankfully, a Price Chopper employee heard the struggle and immediately intervened to stop the attack. Additionally, a male customer helped restrain Beetlestone until police could arrive. In a statement issued Monday, police confirmed that Beetlestone was charged with first-degree attempted kidnapping, first-degree assault, forcible touching, and endangering the welfare of a child. He is currently held in Broome County Jail in Dickinson. Authorities expressed gratitude toward the quick actions of those who helped detain the suspect, emphasizing the importance of community vigilance in protecting vulnerable individuals.
However, this isn't the first time a kidnapping of a minor has taken place, and luckily, the victims have been rescued timely as well. According to another story, Roxanna Ramirez, a security specialist at a Target in Pittsburg, noticed a man acting suspiciously in the store. She carefully watched him as he paced, changed clothes, and acted nervously by his car, a gold Camry parked near hers. Later, when she heard about a kidnapping alert for a 7-year-old girl and saw that the car description matched, she immediately called the police. Thanks to her quick thinking and detailed observations, the suspect was found within 45 minutes of her reporting, and the girl was rescued safely from Antioch Marina. Ramirez’s actions played a key role in solving the case and saving the child.
According to the Child Crime Prevention & Safety Center, in the United States, a child disappears or is taken about every 40 seconds. Each year, nearly 840,000 children are reported missing, and the FBI says that most of these cases involve kids. Although many missing children are found quickly, some remain missing for a long time or never return. There are several important challenges and concerns related to children who go missing or are kidnapped.
Furthermore, kidnappings by people who are not family include those done by someone the child knows or by strangers. About 27 percent of child kidnappings are by someone the child is familiar with, and many of these are done by young offenders. These cases often involve girls and teenagers and can also include other crimes like physical or sexual abuse. Kidnappings by strangers usually happen outside and are more likely to involve guns. For girls, stranger kidnappings often involve sexual assault, while boys may face robbery.