8-year-old boy hailed ‘hero’ after throwing self, sister from moving car during alleged kidnapping

Police in Ohio have praised an eight-year-old boy’s quick thinking after video shows the child throwing himself and his older sister from a moving car during an alleged kidnapping attempt.

According to the state’s Middletown Division of Police, authorities received a call reporting a vehicle had been stolen with children inside from outside a medical centre Thursday afternoon.

Police said Nita Coburn, 69, and her two grandchildren had taken another woman to the hospital and parked outside of the emergency room entrance.

Coburn was helping the woman into the hospital, leaving the boy and his 10-year-old sister in the back seats of the car.

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Police allege it only took “10 seconds after she got out of the car” for Dalvir Singh to jump into the driver’s seat and begin to drive away with the children in the back seats.

Video shows the vehicle pulling away with the rear passenger-side door open, moments before the kids tumble out onto the driveway.

“The little boy opened the door to escape and the little girl started to jump out also, but the man grabbed the hoodie of the little girl, not allowing her to leave,” police said in a statement. “As she tried to get away, her little brother grabbed hold of her and pulled her away from the kidnapper, and they both tumbled out of the vehicle as it was moving.”

Police said Coburn rushed out of the hospital chasing after the vehicle, not knowing the grandchildren were able to escape. Coburn managed to open the driver’s side door in an effort to gain control over the vehicle but Singh allegedly fended off the woman, locking the door.

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Panicking that her grandchildren were still inside the vehicle, police said Coburn grabbed on to the car and was dragged for some time before letting go.

Officers were able to locate the car a short time later. Police praised the boy’s quick thinking, getting himself and his sister out of the car.

“This little guy is a hero. No question,” police said in a statement. “He pulled his sister out of the car with no concern for his own safety. That is incredible at his age.”

Police said they plan to recognize the “little boy’s quick action” at a later date.

Singh, 24, was charged with grand theft, two counts of kidnapping and felonious assault as a result of dragging the woman.