Neighbors stop man from kidnapping four young kids in Starke

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - A 40-year old man from Keystone Heights is behind bars for attempted kidnapping in Starke.

“I was right here in my yard so I could hear everything he was saying ... [the kids] came running to me saying ‘Mr. Rod’ ‘Mr. Rod’ he was trying to get us in the car,” said neighbor Roderick Adams.

The children say Anthony Terry was telling them to ‘come here’ , that he ‘loved them.’ Some of these children also said they heard him on the phone prior, making descriptions about their appearance. Adams says Terry was highly intoxicated.

“He kept saying ‘I am sorry for what happened ... I wasn’t trying to do anything’ and I said ‘yeah I heard everything’.”

Sources close to Terry say he is currently in the hospital. He will be booked into the Bradford County Jail and will have his first court appearance within the next 24 hours. He is being charged with four counts of luring and enticing children under the age of 13, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, threats to kill law enforcement, disorderly intoxication, and loitering and prowling.

“I am just happy I was able to be at the right place at the right time because there was no telling what could have happened,” said Adams.

This investigation is ongoing.

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