'I am super proud of her:' Portage la Prairie, Man. mom speaks out after 9-year-old daughter escapes abduction attempt

Mounties search for suspect in attempted abduction Portage la Prairie police are searching for a suspect accused of trying to abduct a 9-year-old girl.

Winnipeg — A Portage la Prairie mother is on edge after her nine-year-old daughter escaped a potential abduction outside their home.

Fantasia Prince said her daughter Neara stepped into the back alley of her home Tuesday morning when the attack happened.

“She was checking out the weather because she was going to go for a walk with my mother,” Prince explained, who was out of town at the time while her mother cared for her kids.

That’s when a man grabbed Neara from behind.

According to Prince, her daughter bit him and was able to escape, running back inside the house.

Neara and Prince’s mother called her immediately to tell her about the attack.

“To hear that cry, it’s a really different cry. A mother knows when there’s something terribly wrong with her child,” Prince said.

Portage la Prairie RCMP said they received a report of an attempted child abduction of a nine-year-old girl just after 9 a.m. Tuesday.

The girl said an unknown man approached her from behind and grabbed her. She said he asked her if she wanted to come home with him. The girl said she bit the man and managed to free herself. She then ran home and police were called.

The girl was not physically injured.

Prince said she is incredibly proud of the way her daughter reacted in such a scary situation.

“I am super proud of her that with everything that was going on in her head as this was happening, she was still able to think to bite him. She got away and she’s nine years old,” Prince said.

Police said the suspect was seen running north down the back lane towards Lorne Avenue. Officers patrolled the area but did not find the suspect.

He is described as a white male, about 40 years old with an average build, about 160 centimetres (5’3”) tall with blue or green eyes. He has short, white hair with a bald spot and a long white beard. He was wearing a black, zip-up hoodie with grey sweats and reddish shoes.

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident, has any information or lives in the area of 10th Street NW who may have surveillance in the back lane is asked to contact Portage la Prairie RCMP at 204-857-4445.

According to Prince, Neara is in good spirits despite the scary situation.

“She’s just so calm about it. She’s not letting it affect her,” she said.

Prince said she is speaking out about the attack the hopes of catching the suspect.

“Stay close to your children, because you never know what can happen. It can happen in a matter of minutes, seconds.”