An Egyptian man arrested, accused of trying to abduct a child inside Huntington Mall
A man from Egypt was taken into custody after he was accused of attempting to abduct a 5-year-old girl at the Huntington Mall, and police said the child’s mother pulled a gun and told him to let her go.
Mohammad Fathy Hussein Zayan, 54, of Egypt was arraigned and charged with attempted abduction in Cabell County Magistrate Court after the incident occurred about 6:15 p.m. Monday, according to a criminal complaint filed in Cabell County Magistrate Court.
An interpreter was present for Zayan’s arraignment as he spoke Arabic and did not speak English. Police said Zayan is an engineer who was in the area for work and has been living in a local motel.
Zayan is accused of grabbing the girl by the hair while she and her mother were shopping at a store at the mall in Barboursville, the complaint said.
Barboursville police said the mother then pulled a gun and told him to let her go. Police said the mother called mall security and along with Barboursville police, detained Zayan near the food court.
The mall’s property manager said guns are allowed inside the Huntington Mall.
The magistrate set Zayan’s bond at $200,000 cash only.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled April 8.