A mother fought off a man who was allegedly trying to kidnap her daughter in Queens, New York.
The incident happened in their apartment building after the 18-year-old was walking her dog into their residence at around 9 a.m. on Jan. 23.
“The suspect then removed pepper spray from his pocket and sprayed her in the face causing pain,” the statement added. “He then began to punch her multiple times in the face and threw her down the stairs, where he began to kick her in the back causing pain, bruising, and a dislocated shoulder.”
Adriana Alvarez.GoFundMe
GoFundMe
After being taken into custody, the suspect, who police identified as George Vassiliou, was arrested and charged with breaching a restraining order, assault, criminal possession of a weapon and harassment.
Adriana Alvarez spoke toThe New York Postabout fighting off her daughter Lex’s attacker. “I’ve never heard my daughter scream like that,” Alvarez told the outlet. “I thought maybe the dog had run downstairs, but I step out to see my daughter being dragged away.”
After finally breaking free, Alvarez and Lex ran outside and yelled for help, while a neighbor ran outside and held Vassiliou down until the police arrived.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
NYPD sources told thePostthat Vassiliou rented a car the night before January’s attempted kidnapping and parked it outside Lex and Alvarez’s building. Sleeping pills, melatonin, tampons and a bag with rope were also reportedly found inside the vehicle.
AGo Fund Mepage has been created for the hospital bills, rent and home bills as Alvarez recovers from her injuries. According to the page’s organizer, Alvarez suffered “a fractured orbital bone, a fractured elbow and a broken shoulder." They added, “These are bandages she wears with pride for defending her cub.”
source: people.com