11.11.2026 09:00
A 12-year-old girl in Brazil was rescued at the last moment from a suspect who threatened her with a gun and tried to take her to an empty lot on her way to school. Willian Ribeiro, a father of four who intervened in the incident after becoming suspicious, struggled with the attacker and saved the little girl. While the suspect was caught and arrested, Ribeiro, who was declared a hero in the country, turned down offers of money and a car made to him.
In the city of Bauru in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, a 12-year-old girl was rescued at the last moment from an attempted sexual assault. The young girl, who was walking with a friend to school in the morning, became the target of 26-year-old Vitor Gustavo Felix Antonio. Threatening the children by saying he was armed, the suspect approached the girl and tried to take her toward an empty lot. While her friend could not intervene out of fear, 31-year-old Willian Ribeiro noticed what was happening and took action.
HE TOOK ACTION WHEN HE SAW THE LITTLE GIRL CRYING
Ribeiro, a father of four, suspected a man approaching the little girl as he drove through the area after dropping his son off at school. Seeing the man hugging the girl and trying to take her away, Ribeiro followed them for a while. Stopping his vehicle about 100 meters ahead and observing the situation, the father then asked the little girl whether she was okay.
When the girl began to cry and said she did not know the man, Ribeiro got out of his vehicle and intervened with the suspect. Meanwhile, the little girl managed to escape from the attacker's grasp and run to her friend. The incident was also captured by nearby security cameras.
HE SAID "MY GIRLFRIEND" BUT DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HER NAME
The suspect, whom Ribeiro confronted, tried to brush off the situation by claiming he was the boyfriend of the 12-year-old girl. However, when he could not even say the girl's name and the child stated that she did not know him, his lie was exposed.
A scuffle broke out between Ribeiro and the suspect. The suspect attacked the father who intervened with punches and kicks and then tried to flee. However, nearby workers and motorcyclists chased after him and caught the man. The suspect was held at the scene until police teams arrived.
HIS DEFENSE IN HIS POLICE STATEMENT CAUSED ASTONISHMENT
The 26-year-old suspect, who was taken into custody, claimed during police questioning that he and the girl had made eye contact and that he thought she was interested in him. However, the police investigation determined that the suspect had threatened the child by saying he was armed and tried to take her to an empty lot.
The suspect was taken into custody on charges of attempted sexual assault against the 12-year-old child. The man, who was brought before a judge the next day, had his detention order converted to arrest.
DECLARED A HERO IN BRAZIL
After the incident, Willian Ribeiro's courage was praised across the country. Ribeiro, who runs a small food business with his wife, faced intense interest from both his customers and the people around him after the events. It was reported that his business's sales doubled, and it was learned that some people who wanted to thank him offered money and a car.
However, Ribeiro did not accept the gifts offered to him. While recounting what happened, Ribeiro emphasized that he was a father of four and said he took action to save the little girl's life and did not think about his own safety at that moment.