Florida girl, 16, narrates how she bravely fought off ‘drunk’ man who tried to abduct her, ‘I dragged him down with me’

1. Florida girl, 16, narrates how she bravely fought off ‘drunk’ man who tried to abduct her, ‘I dragged him down with me’

Florida girl, 16, narrates how she bravely fought off ‘drunk’ man who tried to abduct her, ‘I dragged him down with me’ BySumanti Sen Feb 22, 2025 08:32 PM IST Share Via Copy Link The suspect, 32-year-old Brian Gamboa, was arrested by Miami-Dade police on charges of attempted kidnapping and battery of a child.

A 16-year-old girl has narrated how she bravely fought off a creep from New York who tried to abduct her last week in South Miami. The teenager was walking in a suburban neighborhood with her friends just after midnight when 32-year-old Brian Gamboa pulled up beside her in a car. He then tried to force her into his vehicle.

Florida girl, 16, narrates how she bravely fought off Brian Gamboa (pictured), who tried to abduct her (Miami-Dade Corrections)

“A guy came out of the car, he approached me and started attacking me by my shoulders and the back of my head,” the teen, Valerie, told CBS News Miami. “I fought back – I threw my phone at him, I started kicking him, I started screaming, I started punching him.”

The teen said she fought hard when Gamboa tried to push her to the ground. “I dragged him down with me,” Valerie added. “Then I kicked him in the crotch and the head and ran off. I screamed for help at a neighbor’s door.”

Valerie claimed that Gamboa appeared “drunk” and was “really wobbly,” according to WSVN. She was able to escape, and immediately called the police.

Gamboa was spotted a few hours later when he was involved in a hit-and-run crash outside of a South Miami restaurant. He was arrested by Miami-Dade police on charges of attempted kidnapping and battery of a child. His bond was set at $30,000, and he was placed under house arrest.

In Gamboa’s mugshot, he was seen with fresh scratches on his face and a huge gash on his forehead following the teen’s fight. He is originally from New York but was living in Miami.

Police said Gamboa had previous offenses, including possession of marijuana and driving with a suspended license, according to CBS. As per police records, he also had a warrant out for leaving the scene of an accident with property damage.

In Florida, one could end up behind bars for up to 30 years for first-degree kidnapping. It also carries a $10,000 fine.

“It was really scary. I’m OK, except the fact that my knee is messed up,” Valerie told WSNV. “Like, I’m OK. I got pretty lucky; like, it could have been way worse for me. I didn’t want to have a story like that. I didn’t want to have his impact on my life like that, so I was just fighting.”