A young British woman has been arrested at a US airport after allegedly refusing to hand a crying child back to his parents.
Alvina Omisri Agba was led away in handcuffs on Tuesday (2 September) after the bizarre incident at Miami International Airport.
The 23-year-old traveller has been accused of attempting to make off with the little lad after offering his mother help when he appeared to be distressed.
According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, Agba was standing in line at Security Checkpoint 5 in the airport at around 4am when the strange saga began.
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Agba, who hails from Luton, is said to have noticed that a mother was struggling to console her crying son, the Miami Herald reported.
She allegedly offered to take the child to try and calm him down - but it is claimed that when she got hold of him, she began to walk away from the area.
The mortified mother then followed the UK native through the airport and is said to have demanded that Agba hand her son back over - but she is alleged to have refused.
Reports claim that she told the mum: "No, this is my child."
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A small tussle over the child then ensued as Agba allegedly wrapped her arms and legs around him to stop him from wriggling free, an arrest report explains.
Deputies said the two women were left 'wrestling' over the youngster, according to the Miami Herald, with his mum grabbing onto his arms while Agba allegedly clung onto his legs.
The chaos which was unfolding in Miami International Airport caught the attention of passersby, one of whom intervened to help the crying child.
According to Local 10 News, Global Crossing Airlines check-in clerk Naylet Montano grabbed the boy after hearing him scream.
Her supervisor Dayanis Ojeda told the publication: "Once [Montano] took the baby to the counter, the lady went inside the counter and we called 911."
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It is believed that the airline employee walked behind a check-in counter while carrying the child to protect him.
Cops claim that Agba crawled underneath the counter and continued to demand that Montano hand over the boy.
Three men are said to have then intervened, before law enforcement arrived at the scene and took the Brit woman into custody.
The child is said to have been left with deep scratches across his neck, according to the Daily Mail, but he and his mother managed to make their flight.
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Agba, meanwhile, was charged with interfering with custody and battery. She is being held at the Turner Guilford Correctional Center on a $3,500 bond.
The 23-year-old is alleged to have told officers that she was taking the child to look at a wall which had a rainbow painted on it in a bid to calm him down when she was read her rights.
According to reports, Agba also claimed that she did not remember what happened when the mother tried to collect her son from her, but said she 'only did it because God told her to do it'.
LADbible has contacted the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office for further comment.
Olivia Burke