Kidnapper Is Moments From Crossing Border With 2 Kids When 8-Year-Old Sister Foils Plan

Rodney Cole was running errands with his two young kids when he experienced every parent's worst nightmare. The single dad from San Diego drove to a beauty supply store and ran inside to pick up hair supplies for his eight-year-old daughter Malaiah. He left the car and air conditioning on while Malaiah and her three-year-old brother waited in the backseat.

Within two minutes, a female stranger noticed the car running with the two children inside. She opened the driver's side door, jumped in and started to drive off — heading straight towards the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego.

That's when Rodney noticed what was happening. He jolted through traffic on foot to stop his car and save his kids. Malaiah watched from the backseat as her father ran from the store in a panic and banged on the car.

But the alleged kidnapper rolled up the windows and ignored his pleas for her to stop. Rodney was helpless as the car ran a red light and disappeared into the distance.

As one witness told KABC, the kidnapper was "probably less than two minutes away from actually crossing the border," when eight-year-old Malaiah remembered something critical.

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You see, Rodney had prepared Malaiah for an emergency… and she was brave enough to take the steps needed to save her life and the life of her little brother.

[h/t: KABC]