Man charged with attempted kidnapping of 5-year-old girl on Northwest Side

CHICAGO — A 25-year-old man is charged with attempting to kidnap a 5-year-old girl from her mother on the city’s Northwest Side.

Gerardo Posadas is charged with one felony count of aggravated battery and one felony count of attempted aggravated kidnapping.

According to police, the mother and child were walking on the 5100 block of West Fullerton Avenue on Sept. 8 in the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood, when Posadas started to follow them.

Police said he engaged in conversation with the mother and offered her an unknown amount of money in exchange for her daughter. When the woman refused, Posadas attempted to grab the girl by the hair towards him, police said. The mother and daughter were able to get away safely.