This tale from the mall stirs my insides with anxiety just thinking about that horrifying day when my son was kidnapped. I can look back now and reminisce how my baby was snatched from the buggy when I turned my back for a second, but at the time my insides wrenched as fear turned me into a frantic hunter.

My husband and I were at the mall with our eight-year old daughter and two-year old son looking for a birthday gift for his mother. She was an elderly woman who had exquisite taste and the luxury of never being in need, so finding a gift that would be suitable was a challenge. We searched the mall and found a novelty store that sold thousands of expensive ornaments and crystal knick-knack items. We knew that we would find the perfect gift there.

Mike took Kirstyn's hand while I pushed Joey in the buggy but as we approached the entrance of the store we realized that it wouldn't be wise to take Joey inside. He was at the stage where he grabbed everything he could reach and the aisles in this store were too close for comfort. We didn't want to purchase more than the one item we came for.

I waited outside the store with the kids and sat on a nearby bench while Mike went inside to look around. He had a particular porcelain doll in mind and so he went in to inquire about it. Several minutes later he came back out and told me that he found three but he wanted me to take a look and make the final choice.

I knew we couldn't bring the children inside and so I took some treats out from my Mary Popin's bag and gave each of them one. I pulled the buggy to as close to the door as I could and instructed my daughter to stand there and not move. I would be just inside the store and would return within a few seconds.

I edged my way into the store and didn't take my eyes of the kids as my husband pulled me along to the stand with the dolls. I would just take a quick look, pick one and return to the kids right away. As I stood in front of the dolls, Kirstyn waved to me with a big smile on her face and I could see the top of Joey's head as he crunched away at his treat. Everything seemed fine so I looked sideways at the three dolls.

It wasn't even five seconds later that Kirstyn screamed and I ran, knocking over a few things along the way the very thing I was trying to avoid.

Her face was agonized with tears as she cried out repeatedly, That lady took him. I tried to stop her but she took him.

My heart fell to my feet and my breath caught

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