When you’re running every day errands, such as grocery shopping, you hardly expect to be confronted with an armed kidnapper, but that’s exactly what two brave Louisiana mothers were up against when an armed man tried to steal their children Friday. What’s even more unbelievable is that this occurred in broad daylight in a busy Walmart.
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The Kenner Police department provided a detailed walkthrough of the terrifying incident on its Facebook page:
“At approximately 2 p.m., Budier-Herrera entered the Wal-Mart store, located at 8912 Veterans Boulevard, in Kenner, with a back pack. While inside the business, Budier-Herrera approached a victim mother and her 2-year-old child, who was seated inside a grocery cart, and told the mother if she did not listen to his instructions, she would die. The victim mother attempted to walk away from Budier-Herrera when he blocked the victim’s way, placing his hand on the handle of a machete, causing the mother to fear for she and her child’s safety.”
Then, things got even scarier:
“Budier-Herrera then told the victim mother that if she did not listen, her son would also die. At this time the victim mother asked for help from store employees, as Budier-Herrera grabbed the 2-year-old, and attempted to remove the child from the grocery cart and flee. The victim mother grabbed her child and a struggle ensued. The victim mother ran behind the counter with her child in the deli section of the store, as store employees arrived to intervene. Budier-Herrera then fled from store employees into the meat / poultry section of the store, which caused alarm to other customers.”
As employees attempted to detain the man, he drew the machete from his waistband and began to slash violently in their direction. As he ran, Budier-Herrera noticed another mother whose young child sitting in the shopping cart. Again, he attempted to snatch the child but was prevented from doing so due to the cart’s seat strap. Realizing that he had once again failed his evil mission, he turned to escape—but it was all over for this deranged man, as he was met with a firm takedown by an off-duty police officer and accompanying store employees.
“Budier-Herrera was then tackled by store employees and a Kenner Police Officer who was working an off-duty detail inside the store and detained him,” police detailed in the post.
“At the time of Budier-Herrera’s arrest, he was in possession of a 10-inch machete, a container of pepper spray, and a makeshift shiv constructed of a plastic handle with razor blades attached by duct tape that had been concealed on his person. At the time of this press release, Budier-Herrera remains in custody, no bond has been set. Budier-Herrera was also charged with an immigration detainer.”
Many people responded to Kenner police’s Facebook post, with several congratulating the mothers’ on their staggering bravery. “This is so sickening. He really underestimated a mother. No one is going to just hand their child over to you. He would have to kill me to get my daughters,” one person commented.
“Great job KPD for protecting the citizens of Kenner!” another added.
“Kudos to these parents who were watching their children.”
Pray for both the mothers and children who were involved in this incident — it must have been utterly traumatizing.
(H/T: Fox 8)