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8-year-old and her brother were 2 minutes away from being taken across border by a kidnapper — until her quick act saved them

If it weren't for the girl's action at the time she did, things would have turned out dangerously and differently for the siblings.

BY ANGELINA DSOUZA

PUBLISHED 1 DAY AGO

(L) Little girl frustatedly using phone in a hurry. (R) Border fence to mark distinction and division. (Representative Cover Image Source: (L) Pexels | Karolina Grabowska; (R) Unsplash | Greg Bulla)

No parent wants to experience the nightmare of their child going missing or getting kidnapped. Imagine the horror if the incident involves crossing a border, the added chances of danger and not being able to see one’s child again. In 2018, Rodney Cole, father of then-8-year-old Malaiah and then-3-year-old son, feared the worst when his children were kidnapped in front of his eyes, per ABC 11. The suspect found the kids unaccompanied in a car and within seconds, she got hold of the vehicle and drove away. She was minutes away from crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. However, the 8-year-old’s brave and quick response changed the flow of events.

Word representating U.S. border to preotect country. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Marksu Winkler)

Malaiah was in the car with her brother while Cole was driving. He stopped to shop for hair supplies, and since it would take a few minutes, he left his kids in the car. The vehicle was running with the air conditioning on, and within seconds, the suspect noticed the kids unaccompanied in the car and rushed to it. She got in and swiftly drove away. "She looked at the car and she saw it running and she saw kids in it. Then she just got in it and drove away," Malaiah said. Cole spotted the suspect, but by the time he caught up, the woman was driving away. "I saw my dad coming out of the store and I saw him banging on the window, but she rolled the window up," the little girl recalled.

Siblings sitting in car and enjoying. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Ketut Subiyanto)

Things didn’t look good for Malaiah and her brother, but she decided to change the course. Malaiah had a phone that her dad gave her for emergency purposes. She immediately dialed 911 and reported as best as she could. "They said, '911, what's your emergency?' And I said, 'Me and my little brother got kidnapped,’” the girl recounted. According to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, it is crucial to teach kids when and how to dial 911 and speak to the dispatcher. It can come in handy in saving lives.

Suspicious woman seated in car besides toddler and looking outside. (Representative Image Source: Unsplash| Photo by Alan Pope)

April Heinze, an expert in 911 education, urges parents and adults to teach kids how to dial 911 from the age of three, per Inside Edition. In Malaiah’s case, she was brave enough to assess and quickly act by dialing 911. She followed up with the dispatcher, sharing her details. “She said, 'Can you tell us where you are? What do you see?' I said, 'I see signs that say Mexico border,’” Malaiah said. The woman tried to grab the phone, but Malaiah was able to stall long enough to convey the request to the dispatchers. “She said, 'Give me the phone or I'm going to drive in circles and crash into the freeway wall,'" the girl shared, after which she gave the phone.

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The trio was minutes away from crossing the border. If they did, it meant a whole different story for the family and authorities. However, thanks to Malaiah’s astute thinking, the authorities arrived in time to stop the woman. A witness noted that she was "probably less than two minutes away from actually crossing the border” before authorities intervened. The children were saved, and when Malaiah relayed the story to the authorities and her dad, he was moved to tears. "I'm very proud of her," Cole said.