GREENSBORO, N.C., January 13, 2020 - Cody Byrd’s ’17 quick thinking helped to save the life of an 8-year-old girl. Byrd, who was recently featured by WXII 12 News, the NBC affiliate in Greensboro, said he was shocked to learn his efforts helped officers.
“I followed the man as he tried to leave, taking pictures of him and the vehicle he was in,” Byrd said.
While Byrd was waiting to get his food at Biscuitville, a local restaurant, on December 27, 2019, he noticed the child tell her mother that she had to go to the bathroom. Then he watched the suspect follow her to the area where restrooms were located.
“The way he was staring at the little girl was constant and way too intent looking, as if he wasn’t focused on anything else but her,” Byrd explained to WXII 12 News.
Byrd’s intuition kicked in; he followed the suspect to the bathroom, and found him waiting outside the men’s restroom. When Byrd asked if he was waiting on restroom and he replied, ‘no”, he knew something was wrong.
As Byrd was getting ready to walk in the men’s restroom the little girl walked out of the women’s restroom and the suspect attempted to take the little girl, who luckily managed to get away. It was at that moment that Byrd quickly questioned the man and followed him out of the restaurant.
After sharing photos with law enforcement, detectives with the Greensboro Police Department informed Byrd they were able to locate and arrest the suspect with his help. They also told him the suspect had intentions of kidnapping the little girl and keeping her in a sexual servitude.
“I just had a weird feeling about him,” he emphasized.
Byrd hopes his story inspires other to pay attention to their surroundings in public places and realize the smallest effort can make the biggest difference.
“Being called a hero honestly feels somewhat strange. I honestly just consider myself an everyday person that did a good deed,” he said.
