Toddler Left With Broken Thigh After Mum's Desperate 'Tug of War' With Kidnapper In Supermarket

Dramatic CCTV footage has captured the moment an 18-month-old girl was allegedly snatched by a homeless man inside a supermarket in Italy, leaving her parents and shoppers scrambling to intervene.

The incident took place at the Uscita supermarket in Bergamo as the family were exiting through the automatic doors. According to reports, the suspect lunged towards the child as he entered the store, grabbing her in full view of her parents.

Footage later released shows the man seizing the toddler as her mother attempts to shield her. At one stage, the child is pulled in opposite directions as both adults cling to her arms and legs. The girl's father, who had been pushing a shopping trolley, is seen rushing forward in an effort to stop the attack.

Bystanders quickly reacted, moving in to help restrain the man while others attempted to separate him from the child. Security staff arrived within moments and detained the suspect until officers reached the scene.

Child Suffers Broken Thigh Bone During Struggle

During the chaotic struggle, the toddler sustained a broken femur, which is the thigh bone. The injury occurred as the alleged attacker continued to pull at the child while her mother desperately held on.

The girl was taken to hospital shortly after the incident and received treatment for her fractured thigh bone. She has since been discharged and is recovering at home with her family.

Speaking to Italian television, the child's father, identified as Matteo, described the instinctive reaction he felt in the moment.

'A survival instinct kicked in,' he said. 'To see your daughter in danger is dreadful. The reaction was immediate. You do not think, you just act.'

Police confirmed that the suspect is a 47-year-old Romanian national described as homeless. He has been charged with aggravated kidnapping of a child under 14 and aggravated assault. Authorities said the motive behind the alleged attempt remains unclear. He is currently being held in custody pending further questioning.

The Wider Context Of Missing Children In Italy

While cases such as this are rare and often resolved quickly, official figures show that thousands of children are reported missing in Italy each year. According to data published by PianetaMamma, citing the 2023 annual report of the Office of the Government Commissioner for Missing Persons, nearly 22,000 minors were reported missing in 2023.

Of the 21,951 total reports involving minors, 4,416 concerned Italian children and 17,535 involved foreign minors. The report noted that 75 per cent of all missing persons reports that year related to individuals under the age of 18.

Recovery rates differ significantly. Around 73.84 per cent of Italian minors were found, compared with 31.58 per cent of foreign minors. Many cases involve adolescents leaving reception centres or communities voluntarily, particularly among unaccompanied foreign minors attempting to reunite with relatives abroad.

The data shows that 16-year-olds account for the highest proportion of missing Italian minors, representing 27.7 per cent of cases. Lombardy, the region where Bergamo is located, recorded the highest number of reports involving Italian minors, accounting for 18.7 per cent of cases, though it also had a comparatively high recovery rate.

Authorities stress that the majority of missing children cases involve voluntary departures rather than abductions by strangers. However, incidents like the attempted supermarket kidnapping serve as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance in crowded public areas.