‘Hero’ saves girl from alleged kidnapper by pretending to be her mom

(KTLA) — A good Samaritan rescued a 12-year-old girl after a woman attempted to kidnap her, police said.

Twelve-year-old Amy Martinez was walking to school in Santa Ana, California when a strange woman grabbed her. Martinez said she screamed for help as the woman began dragging her down the street Wednesday morning.

“She told me in Spanish not to cry, but I wasn’t even crying,” Martinez told KTLA.

Shortly after, a woman who had just taken her child to school noticed the frantic Martinez struggling with the suspect.

“She said she had, in her mind, five seconds to come up with something to save this child,” said Cpl. Anthony Bertagna with the Santa Ana Police Department.

The good Samaritan told the suspect that she was the child’s mother and demanded she let her go.

After the suspect released the 12-year-old, the good Samaritan took Martinez to school and called 911.

“I want to say thank you for saving my life, and you’re my hero,” Martinez said when asked about the kind woman who rescued her.

Police later arrested the suspect, identified as 34-year-old Claudia Hernandez Diaz, according to the Orange County Register. She was jailed on suspicion of kidnapping a child under the age of 14.

Martinez’s mom spoke with the newspaper and said she was stunned with school officials alerted her of the situation. She said from now on, her daughter will be driven to school by a family member.