9-Year-Old Journee Nelson proved that it isn’t always “Mama Bear” that comes to the rescue. One criminal found out that “cubs” can pack a surprising punch.
On November 2, Danielle Mobley and her 9-year old daughter, Journee Nelson, ran errands in West Palm Beach, Florida, when a robber tried to steal Mobley’s purse. The pair were just returning to their vehicle in the parking lot of Sabor Tropical Supermarket when the attack occurred.
Surveillance video shows the man lunging at Mobley, knocking her down, and trying to pull the purse away from her.
Journee jumped out of the car and fought off the man by punching him in the face and continued to hit him until he ran off, hanging on to Danielle’s handbag. As he ran, little Journee Nelson chased after him. “She actually jumped up and chased him four houses down the block with me chasing her, calling her back,” her mom said during a news conference.
‘I fought back,’ the girl told 7 News Miami. ‘I had to save my mom.’
Chief Frank Adderley said during a press conference Thursday that while he wouldn’t recommend confronting criminals, the girl’s actions were understandable during the heat of the moment.
‘I bet he was shocked when she hit him right on the face,’ Adderly told reporters. ‘You definitely could tell on the videotape he was not expecting that. Her actions were perfect timing in this particular situation.
‘I think she hit him pretty hard.’
Watch the surveillance video here:
Two days later, 29-year old Demetrius Jackson, a violent career criminal.was captured and identified as the guy slugged by the nine-year-old. He was charged with robbery and battery for the attack and hopefully laughed at by all the other criminals in the jail.
West Palm Beach Adderley celebrated Journee but cautioned citizens against taking matters into their own hands.
“I wouldn’t recommend that you confront an individual like that, but in the heat of the moment things happen,” Adderley said while honoring Journee. “I bet he was shocked … because [you] definitely could tell on the video that he was not expecting that, and her actions were perfect timing in this particular situation, and I think she hit him pretty hard.”
Journee was honored by the West Palm Beach Police for her bravery. She was given a medal, certificate, and a $100 gift card for Target. Chief Frank Adderley also joked that there is an ongoing recruitment drive for the department, which was fitting since Journee wavers between becoming a teacher or a police officer when she grows up.
Parts of this post were first seen at Clash Daily
