SANTA ANA (CNS) - A man was charged today with scooping up a 6-year-old boy in Placentia and attempting to run away with him before bystanders confronted the suspect.
Michael Christopher Foley, who has no known address, was charged with a felony count of kidnapping a child younger than 14 and a misdemeanor count of child annoyance.
Foley, 41, is accused of picking up the youngster outside of Peewee's Market, 703 W. La Jolla St., about 7:50 p.m. Monday, Placentia police Lt. Chris Anderson said.
The boy was outside the store with some family friends when Foley, who was driving by, stopped and got out of his vehicle, leaving the driver's door open, and ran toward the victim, Anderson said. He picked up the child and was carrying him back to his vehicle when bystanders shouted at him.
Foley kissed the child on the cheek and said, “I love you, baby,'' before putting him down, getting back into his vehicle and driving away, Anderson said.
Police were able to identify Foley through surveillance video, he said. Foley was arrested Tuesday in Orange, and has no ties to the child or the victim's mother.
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