Non-violent Muslim deterrent that doubles as a snack for the little ones:
another update: what was a man (who couldn’t speak english) and his family from Alexandria doing in WV, anyway??
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“A man from Egypt initially accused of attempting to kidnap a child from the Huntington Mall was released from jail Tuesday night after the child’s mother changed her story, our crew at the scene reports.
Mohamed Fathy Hussein Zayan, who’s an engineer, was emotional as he was released to his family waiting outside the Western Regional Jail — openly crying with them.
The Egyptian consulate has been in touch with authorities in West Virginia about the overall incident.
A woman told Barboursville Police that Zayan tried to kidnap her 5-year-old daughter at the Huntington Mall on Monday. She also told police she pulled out a gun to scare the suspect away. The incident happened when the woman was shopping with her daughter in the Old Navy store a little after 6 p.m. Monday.
Police said Tuesday that the whole incident stemmed over a “cultural misunderstanding” when Zayan allegedly patted the girl on the head. The mother originally told police that a man tried to drag her daughter away by the hair.
Zayan, who was released on a reduced bond, still possibly faces a battery charge, police say. They did not say if the mother faces charges for changing her story.
The attempted abduction charge against Zayan hasn’t been officially dropped just yet”