If you saw a young girl get kidnapped right before your very eyes, would you have the mental focus and the courage to get involved?  Or, would there be that moment of shock and absolute terror followed by a feeling of helplessness as the events unfolded before you?  One man in New Mexico did have his bearings about him earlier this week enough to rescue a six-year-old whose fate would have otherwise been one we do not want to consider.

Antonio Diaz Chacon jumped in his car and gave chase to a man who had just shoved the little girl into his van.  He stayed with the van for several miles before its driver, Phillip Garcia, crashed into a light pole.  Garcia then tried to make an escape by foot, but got stuck on mesa, where he remained until police arrived.  Diaz found the girl on the floor of the van and comforted her until law enforcement was able to reunite her with her frantic parents.

In my first two novels, Compulsion and Dead Game, Emily Stone is the central character and she has devoted her life to bringing men like Phillip Garcia to justice.  However, she does her work in the shadows, collecting evidence and then leaving it with police anonymously before moving on to track another violent criminal.  Even though their methods may be somewhat different, I believe she would applaud Diaz’s selfless efforts to save a child’s life.

Many people are calling for Antonio Diaz Chacon to be recognized in some official way for his brave act.  Unfortunately, it seems that we live in a world in which people are becoming more insulated and feel less responsible for the lives and well-being of their neighbors and Diaz offers a nice exception to that trend.

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Blog: www.authorjenniferchase.com/
Website: www.jenniferchase.vpweb.com/
Crime Watch Blog: www.emilystonecrimewatch.wordpress.com/
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Books: Compulsion = Dead Game = Silent Partner = Screenwriting