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Deputies: Man arrested after attempting to kidnap child from hotel room

The sheriff's office say the mother and her child were unharmed during the attempt.
Credit: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

TAMPA, Fla. — A child is safe after deputies say a man tried to kidnap them from a hotel room Sunday.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office says it received a 911 call from the child's mother around 9:41 a.m. telling the operator an unknown Hispanic man entered her Tampa hotel room and tried to take her child

Deputies say that man is 24-year-old Gabriel Martin. 

According to a news release, Martin picked up the child in front of the mother, but she was able to get her child from Martin before he took off.

That's when the sheriff's office says she escaped with her child and dialed 911 while Martin took off. 

Deputies were able to find Martin hiding in the shrubs of a nearby business park and arrested him.

The mother and child were not injured during the attempt, according to deputies.

"Thankfully, the mother and child were not hurt during the course of this incident," Sheriff Chad Chronister said. "As a parent myself, I can't imagine the fear this mother was in when the suspect tried to take her child away from her. He will be charged to the fullest extent for his crimes."

Martin is charged with kidnapping, burglary of an occupied dwelling with battery, and violation of probation. The sheriff's office said he was already on probation for possession of MDMA and armed burglary charges out of Manatee County.

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