A 30-year-old man is under police guard in hospital after allegedly attempting to abduct a five-year-old child in Athlone on Saturday morning.

According to South African Police Services (SAPS) spokesperson FC Van Wyk, the incident took place at around 10:30am at a shopping mall, when the child was walking with her mother.

“The mother was holding her daughter’s hand when an unidentified man suddenly tried to pull the child away. A tug of war ensued, and the child’s father intervened, preventing the abduction.”

Police have not confirmed the cause of his injuries or whether they occurred during the attempted abduction.

Bianca Van Aswegan from Missing Children South Africa (MCSA) urged parents to be vigilant, especially during the festive season.

“It is a very busy time of the year, and children are vulnerable to different types of crimes. When taking your children to public spaces, keep an extra eye on them and make sure they know what to do or where to go if anything happens.”

Van Aswegan also stressed that missing person reports should be made immediately.

The child and her parents were taken to the Athlone Victim Support Centre, where they received counselling following the traumatic incident.

A case of attempted kidnapping has been officially opened, and police say the investigation is ongoing.