Terrifying moment San Diego man, 38, attempts to kidnap young boy, 8, off street outside his family's deli

This is the terrifying moment a 38-year-old man attempted to kidnap an eight-year-old California boy in front of the child's parents during a family celebration.

The ordeal took place around 8pm on March 22 when the boy's parents were celebrating the opening of their new deli, Newport Quick Stop Liquor and Deli.

A strange man, now named as Christopher Aaron Higginbotham, tried to abduct their son while he was playing on the sidewalk.

The boy's father, Adrian Villanueva told local CBS8 News that his family was enjoying dinner on the patio when he saw a man enter his store three different times on the same night, who was acting erratically. 

The third time, Villanueva said he 'grabbed my kid right here. He just grabbed him and pulled him down. And he said, 'this my son, this is my son,' he recalled.

The would-be kidnapper is seen grabbing Villaneuva's eight-year-old son 

The man grabs him as he is about to dash to the street before boy's father intervenes 

The boy's father, Adrian Villanueva said: 'I pushed him. I said, 'no, he is not your son,' and then I tried to get him out. And that's when he grabbed my kid, and he started running away through the street'

The shocked father said: 'I pushed him. I said, 'no, he is not your son,' and then I tried to get him out. And that's when he grabbed my kid, and he started running away through the street,' he recalled. 

Security guards by some nearby businesses and community members saw what was happening and intervened. They were able to restrain the man until police arrived.

The man was identified as Higginbotham, 38. He was arrested for false imprisonment and battery, San Diego Police Department PIO Lt. Dan Meyer told DailyMail.com.

Meyer said Higginbotham was arrested at 9.30am on March 27 at 1950 Abbott Street in Ocean Beach by Western Beach Team officers. 

He was booked for false imprisonment and battery, and said the case is still under active investigation. 

It was later revealed that Higginbotham was a wanted fugitive, and had a history of felony convictions involving assault with a deadly weapon, according to a 2018 Crime Stoppers.

When Villaneuva discovered that it was the same man who tried to kidnap his son he decided to press charges.

'Today was my kid, tomorrow can be someone else kid. So that's why I'm pressing the charges,' said Villanueva.

The assailant was identified as Christopher Aaron Higginbotham, 38; San Diego Police told DailyMail.com he was arrested Wednesday for false imprisonment and battery

Bystanders are seen restraining the would-be kidnapper until police arrive 

The boy's father recalled his fear during the attempted abduction: 'I didn't care if he had weapons or any of that I am just trying to rescue my son.'

He said, his boy was traumatized by the event: 'When I saw him with the watery eyes and sees his mom and starts crying it is terrible.'

Villanueva, a father of four, said he did not initially press charges, as he felt sorry for the man.

He told NBC San Diego that the man kept saying, 'I miss my family. I miss my family,' and assumed the man was coming from a family trauma, but after reviewing the video decided to file charges. 

'I realized how serious an incident it was,' he said. 'I want to protect every single kid. There are bad people on the street, and I don't want that to happen to anyone else.'

The family also own a restaurant in the Ocean Beach area, and spend a lot of time there but, said his son told his father, he no longer wants to go to his parent's businesses.  

'He told me "Pa I don't want to go back to Newport anymore. There are bad people on the streets. I don't want to go back over there. Please don't take me over there,"'  Villanueva said.

His advice to other parents: 'Be aware and take care of the kids,' he said.

He added: 'I want the people that come to the store, they feel secure.'