A Florida man was stopped from kidnapping a 2-year-old boy thanks to the family dog’s quick reaction.
Ron Lee Klein Jr., 36, allegedly entered a fenced backyard in St. Petersburg on December 27 and tried to grab the toddler... Continue reading here ▶
According to police, the family dog saw him and began barking loudly, alerting the boy’s foster mother.
The foster mother, whose name was not disclosed, followed the dog’s barking and saw Klein in the backyard. She yelled and chased him, causing him to flee without the child.
Police said Klein had grabbed the boy by the arm and tried to pick him up before the dog sounded the alarm.
Klein admitted to entering the property and was caught on surveillance cameras, according to the arrest affidavit.
He was charged with attempted kidnapping, a felony, and trespassing, a misdemeanor. Klein appeared in court on December 29 and is being held on $151,000 bail. No new court date has been set.
Court records show Klein has a history of arrests dating back to 2007. His most recent arrest was in May 2023 for trespassing, resisting an officer with violence, and battery of a police officer. He pleaded guilty to those charges and was sentenced to time served.
