A Boston man is facing kidnapping and indecent assault charges after he allegedly picked up a 4-year-old girl, kissed her and proceeded to walk away with her.
Witnesses alerted the girl's family members, who chased the man down and stopped him.
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Anthony Jackson, 31, of Jamaica Plain, is charged with kidnapping a child under 16 and indecent assault and battery on a child. He was ordered held without bail at his arraignment Monday and will be sent to Bridgewater State Hospital for evaluation.
He is scheduled to return to court on May 20.
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Boston police said they received a call at 6:42 p.m. on Sunday for a report of a fight in the city's Jamaica Plain neighborhood. When they arrived, they spoke with witnesses who said they saw a man later identified as Jackson approach a 4-year-old girl who was outside playing. He allegedly took the child by the hand, picked her up and kissed her and then took several steps while holding her and proceeded to walk away.
A witness yelled to Jackson to put the child down and alerted the girl's family, who were able to chase him down and hold him until police arrived.
Prosecutors said Jackson has three previous sexually-related charges pending against him.
Jackson's attorney said Monday that his client is schizophrenic and hears voices.
"It goes without saying that the allegations in all of his cases, but particularly this one, are certainly concerning," defense attorney Joanna Sandman said. "What we have here is a relatively young man with some very substantial psychiatric issues."
