As parents, we try to prepare our children for every potential situation they might encounter in the wide world, especially the dangerous ones. Thankfully, one smart Pottstown, Pennsylvania, fourth grader listened to his dad’s advice.
Sammy Green was walking home from school on November 11, 2022, when he noticed he was being followed by a woman he did not know. He went into a local store and asked the employee to pretend to be his mother so he could get away from the suspicious stranger. By doing so, Sammy prevented his own potential kidnapping.
Sammy’s father, Sam Green, spoke to ABC 6 Philadelphia about the scary situation. He said, “(She) started walking with him and asking him where his family was, asking where his dad was.”
The woman would not leave Sammy alone. She attempted to get him to go to a nearby convenience store. Luckily, Sammy was not having it.
Sam continued, "She was like, 'I'm going to Wawa, are you going there? What are you getting from Wawa? Where's your family at?'”
Sammy knew he should not listen to this lady. He remembered his dad’s advice. He went into a store that was familiar to him, Dani Bee Funky, and asked for help.
Sammy approached a store employee named Hannah and told her what was going on. He said, "Act like you're my mom, this lady is following me." Hannah, just 17 years old, was quick to respond and came to Sammy's aid.
Surveillance video shows Hannah putting herself between Sammy and the suspicious woman. The woman was waiting for Sammy at the door of the shop. Hannah then calmly locks the door.
The shop owner, Dani Small, is grateful for her employee. "I am very proud of her. Hannah is a 17-year-old young lady. She did everything correctly,” Dani said. Sam agrees wholeheartedly.
Sam says it was not easy to watch the video of the incident, but he is so proud of his son for remembering his advice. “When we were watching that video, I cried every time I saw it,” he said to CBS 10. "To see my child looking for help because he was afraid basically for his life, that cuts you deep."
Sam has advice for his fellow parents. "Think of every scenario and make sure that children know and also practice it," he said. "Practice your situations and scenarios just like fire drills."
Police were able to locate the suspicious women involved in this incident. She is now undergoing needed mental health treatment. No charges have been made at this time.
