true crime

Horrifying CCTV footage shows desperate mum fighting off kidnapper.

Harrowing footage from a convenience store surveillance camera has revealed a mother fighting off a would-be kidnapper attempting to snatch her teenage daughter.

The super mum has chased after and tackled the attacker who attempted to grab the 13-year-old girl in the middle of the supermarket.

Footage of the horrifying incident has gone viral online. Source: Citrus County Sheriff's Department Facebook page

In the CCTV footage the alleged snatcher, Craig Bonello, can be seen loitering around the aisles and watching the mother and daughter in the Dollar General Store in Hernando, Citrus County, Florida.

Bonello can then be seen suddenly approaching the pair and attempting to grab the girl by the arms and violently drag her towards the exit.

Authorities have praised the woman for her heroic actions, entering into a "tug of war" with the man before eventually being forced to lay over her daughter in a last ditch effort to stop him.

"Thank goodness the girl's mother jumped into action to prevent this man from kidnapping her daughter," said Sheriff's Office Commander Buddy Grant, according to NBC News.

Craig Bonello has been arrested and charged with kidnapping and child abuse. Source: Citrus County Sheriff's Office Facebook page

After his attempted snatching was thwarted, Bonello then attempted to flee the scene in a vehicle. By sheer coincidence, an off-duty sheriff's deputy just happened to be outside the store at the time, who apprehended 30-year-old and arrested him.

In a statement from the sheriff's office, Sgt. Craig Callahan said: "In my 10 years on the road I have never seen anything like this... He truly intended to abduct this child right in front of everyone in the store."

Bonello has been charged with kidnapping and child abuse with no bond.