Man arrested after grabbing young South Carolina child from mother on way to school, deputies say

By Janice Limon

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    GREENVILLE COUNTY, South Carolina (WYFF) — A Greenville, South Carolina, man was arrested Wednesday after an attempted kidnapping of a young child, deputies said.

Investigators within the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office School Enforcement Division charged Robert Daniel Mistretta, 66, with kidnapping after he grabbed a young child and tried to pull her away from her mother Wednesday morning, officials said.

Lt. Ryan Flood said the incident happened just after 7 a.m. near Lily Street and White Horse Road as a mother was walking her children to school.

Deputies were told that the man, later identified as Mistretta, approached the family and grabbed the child before attempting to pull her away, Flood said.

“Thankfully, the mother was able to gain control of the child and walk away to safety without any injuries,” Flood said.

Flood said law enforcement officers began canvassing the area and were able to find Mistretta on Burdine Drive, who matched the witness’s description.

Deputies found the child’s student ID in Mistretta’s possession, which they learned was torn from the child’s lanyard during the struggle, Flood said.

Jamie, a parent of two current students at Westcliffe Elementary School stated:

“It was pretty scary,” Jamie said. “You know it kind of hit too close to home for me because my kids actually do walk every single day to school and home from school, so it really did make me concerned.”

Mistretta appeared before a judge for a bond hearing Wednesday night.

Mistretta’s bond in this case was denied, because kidnapping is considered a violent offense. He was already out on bond for a separate offense during the time of the incident, which violated the conditions of the bond he was already out on.

Next court appearance will be within the next 30 days.

The principal of Westcliffe Elementary School, Beth Farmer, sent out an alert to parents, writing:

“Everything is safe at the school. I want to let you know about an incident that occurred off campus this morning. While a parent was walking their child to school, a man approached and tried to grab the child. Thankfully, the parent was able to intervene and keep the child safe. Law enforcement was immediately notified, and they have the suspect in custody. While this occurred off campus, we want to make sure you’re aware of what happened and remind parents to stay vigilant while on the way to school. The safety of students and staff is our top priority. If you have any questions, please reach out to the front office.”

Mistretta has appeared before a judge for a bond hearing Wednesday night.

Mistretta’s bond in this case was denied, because kidnapping is considered a violent offense. He was already out on bond for a separate offense during the time of the incident, which violated the conditions of the bond he was already out on.

Mistretta’s next court appearance will be within the next 30 days, according to officials.

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