A Bristol mother has described the moment an unknown woman allegedly attempted to pull her one-year-old daughter from a taxi, leaving the toddler and her great-grandmother deeply shaken by the ordeal.
Anea Rodriguez Fawcett said her daughter Remaya, who is nearly two, was travelling with her great-grandmother after the older woman’s car broke down outside a bookmakers on Stapleton Road. Staff inside called a taxi for them, and as they boarded the vehicle the incident unfolded.
According to Anea, as her nan placed Remaya into the taxi from one side, the door on the opposite side opened and an unknown woman climbed in, attempting to remove the child from the vehicle while shouting at the great-grandmother. The woman did not succeed and subsequently fled the scene on foot, reportedly disappearing while officers were speaking to the great-grandmother at the scene. The taxi driver also left after returning a bag belonging to Anea’s nan.
Speaking to BristolLive, Anea said the impact on her daughter had been significant. “She was very confident, very outgoing. She wasn’t scared at all, she would smile at anyone. She now won’t leave my side, her nursery has said she’s not herself anymore,” she said. Her nan was also left deeply distressed, not wanting to be alone at home in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
Avon and Somerset Police confirmed they received a call at 10.47am on Friday 20 March reporting an altercation between two women involving a young girl. Officers arrived at the scene within two minutes and ensured the child was safe before taking her and her relative home. A review of available CCTV footage has been carried out and the investigation is continuing.
Police described the incident as an altercation between two women about a young girl “who is a relative of one of the women,” and said inquiries were ongoing to establish the full circumstances of what took place. No arrests have been made.
Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact Avon and Somerset Police.
