Police in Effingham, Illinois, apprehended a man who allegedly tried to kidnap a girl from a hotel on Friday, according to authorities.
At around 7 a.m., Effingham police officers were called to a hotel in the 1300 block of Avenue of Mid-America for the report of an attempted kidnapping. Law enforcement explained that officers engaged the suspect, who had been involved in an altercation with hotel staff and patrons before they arrived.
Police deployed non-lethal tasers and subsequently apprehended the suspect. Matthew Kelledes, 37, of Flora, was taken into custody on a warrant as well as charges related to the incident, authorities said. Effingham Police Chief Jason McFarland, in a news release, praised hotel staff and bystanders for assisting officers who "defused the situation in a timely manner."
The child wasn't injured and was placed in the care of her parents. An investigation by police and the Effingham County State's Attorney's Office remained underway on Friday.
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