UPDATE: Police have arrested and identified a suspect in this case.

Original story below…

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Police are investigating after a woman abducted a 4-year-Old in Essex on Friday.

At about 8:00 p.m. on June 15, officers responded to the parking lot of a business located in the 100 block of Back River Neck Road, 21221 for a fight call.

When officers arrived at the scene, they learned of a kidnapping.

A woman told police that she was watching her son play outside their home in the 1600 block of Renaissance Drive, 21221, when she went inside the garage of the house to get a toy for her son.

The mother heard the scooter that her son was riding, hit the ground and quickly began to look for her son.

Several neighbors told the mother that they saw a woman grab the 4-year-old victim in a “bear hug” and walk away with the child toward Back River Neck Road.

The neighbors and mother were able to find the woman in the 100 block of Back River Neck Road still holding the boy.

The suspect refused to release the child and the neighbors struggled with the woman to release the child. Eventually, the group was able to get the child back to his mother.

During the incident, the 4-year-old did suffer minor injuries.

Police verified that the suspect is not known by the victim or his mother.

The suspect is in custody but has not yet been formally charged with kidnapping.

Her information will be provided once she has been formally charged.