Romanian man says he attempted to kidnap child in Italy because he “thought she was a toy”

The Romanian man who tried to kidnap a one-and-a-half-year-old girl in Italy earlier this month told judges he had thought she was a plush toy.

The man, 46-year-old Emil Mortu, repeatedly grabbed and pulled the girl before he was stopped by her father and security agents at a Bergamo supermarket. The entire incident was caught on camera.

The one-and-a-half-year-old girl was violently grabbed and thrown through the air several times, with Mortu tugging on her legs and her mother desperately trying to hold her. The girl suffered fractures to her femur and tibia as a result of the struggle, according to Corriere della Sera.

Now jailed, Mortu told judges that the girl “looked like a stuffed animal.” He also claimed that the mother is to blame for the injuries suffered by the little girl, because she allegedly overreacted.

The man told Italian authorities that he is an engineer and that he has a disability certificate. Moreover, he claimed to have been assaulted on a bus hours before he attempted to kidnap the child, even though he was not injured.

Judge Michele Ravelli validated the prosecutor’s request for pre-trial detention, highlighting the aggravating circumstances of the case. Ravelli noted that Mortu had an arrogant attitude and had allegedly uttered insults against Italy. He also requested documents from the Romanian state to verify the man’s claims and ordered a psychiatric evaluation.

(Photo source: Redazione Bergamonews Youtube video capture)