KIDNAPPED British boy found: Abductors think twice after MEDIA STORM raised by MPs

UPDATE6 KUALA LUMPUR - A huge sigh of relief greeted news that kidnapped British boy Freddie Joseph has been found at Lake Titiwangsa, a recreational park at least 10km away from his home in affluent Bangsar.

The chubby 20-month-old toddler, who created a frenzy of concern, has been reunited with his teacher mother Sarah Joseph.

"As a mom myself, I can imagine what Sarah Joseph had to endure yesterday. She was very brave and even went after the kidnappers to protect her child but they were armed and she was injured," Nurul Izzah, the Member of Parliament for Bangsar area told Malaysia Chronicle.

Nurul had gone to visit Sarah together with colleague N Surendran, the MP for Padang Serai, to offer support. "The first 24 hours are always the most crucial," said Nurul, who was with Sarah and Freddie as they cleared the medical and security procedures.

Found by passersby: Out-of-control crime, abductors still at large

Kuala Lumpur deputy criminal investigation department chief Khairy Ahrasa has confirmed that it was passersby who had found Freddie, and not the police as was initially indicated to the press.

Khairy also made no mention of the kidnappers, who are believed to be still at large.

"We congratulate Sarah on the good news and hope mother and child won't ever be separated like this again. We also praise the civic-minded Malaysians who found Freddie and alerted the police," Member of Parliament for Batu Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

"But we hope that now, with the pressure of having to find Freddie removed from their shoulders, the police can focus on finding and arresting the abductors swiftly. The police must send a strong message down the line because it is clear from the boldness of this abduction, the criminals and criminally-minded are getting out of hand."

Media storm may have given abductors second thoughts

A relieved Sarah, who was due to issue a statement on the incident, rushed over to the Jalan Tun Razak police station, where Freddie had been taken. She is seen carrying Freddie in the pictures below.

Later, when mother and son were allowed to go home, their neighbors gave them an uproarious welcome.

Apart from underscoring the rising crime in Malaysia, the 'Baby Freddie' kidnap has also highlighted the power of the Internet and the social media network.

Both Nurul and Surendran, who is Sarah's neighbor, had made repeated appeals to the public to look out for unusual or suspicious activity and to report immediately to the police.

Helped by their supporters, they created an enormous chain reaction on Twitter and the social media networks.

Indeed, the intense and high publicity probably made the abductors think twice about carrying through with their plan. Ruthless enough to use weapons, it is a blessing they decided to release the boy unharmed.

"Good work, everyone," tweeted Elizabeth Wong, a lawmaker in Selangor state, who like the rest of the nation had been following the case with great concern.

"The kidnappers might be scared after realizing that police are looking for them and decided to return the toddler unharmed," Kuala Lumpur criminal investigation department chief Ku Chin Wah told a press conference 2 hours  after Freddie was found.

Alone and hungry: We gave him 'keropok' and a drink

According to national news agency Bernama, a lorry driver and a cabbie found Freddie wandering in the Lake Titiwangsa area at about 12.20pm, some 18 hours after he was snatched from home by a machete-wielding couple.

Still in the same green T-shirt and white pants he was wearing a day ago, Freddie was exhausted and hungry.

"This morning I read the newspaper and there was news about a kidnapped child but I did not think it was him. When I approached him, he was quiet and not very scared but he seemed lethargic," said cabbie Haris Mohd, who bought the boy some 'keropok' (chips) and a drink.

Lorry driver Hamid Md Isa, who spotted Freddie first, said the boy was alone. He did not notice anyone nearby to the boy who might be the kidnappers.

Hamid said he quickly led Freddie to a nearby field as he looked very tired.

The men, who were later joined by a woman and an editor from Bernama who was jogging in the park, alerted the police.

Bold kidnappers struck in broad daylight

Sarah had sustained a slash injury on her arm and a broken toe after scuffling with the abductors who drove off in a white Toyota Camry bearing a false registration number plate.

The incident had occurred around 6.20pm on Friday evening.

CCTV footage showed a man coming out from the car, putting on a baseball cap and spectacles before walking towards the house.

A few moments later, he was seen running to the car with the toddler in his arms. The passenger door of the car was then opened by somebody inside, to whom the man passed the baby to.

Sarah was seen running after the man, screaming. Two passers-by then went to her aid and managed to pull Freddy half out of the car.

However, the man came out and threatened them with the machete.

Sarah was then seen clinging onto the car when it drove off. She was dragged for a few metres before she finally fell down.

It is believed that the person in the car was a woman, who was wearing a niqab (a Muslim veil that covers the face, showing only the eyes).

Malaysia Chronicle