Would-be Walmart kidnapper on parole for voluntary manslaughter

BREMEN, GA (CBS ATLANTA) -
Mary Shoemaker lives in the mobile home community in Austell where 25-year old Thomas Woods lives with his father.

Shoemaker was disturbed when she found out police arrested her neighbor and charged him with kidnapping a child.

Mary Shoemaker
Neighbor
45:55
"It's terrifying to know what he might have done to that child had he gotten away with her."



43:56
"I couldn't believe. I was like OH my God."

The attempted abduction happened at this Walmart in Bremen. According to police, the store's surveillance camera show Woods walking around Walmart. He walks out of the camera's view then run's back in carrying 7-year old Brittney Baxter.

Brittany Baxter
16:18
"I was just looking at the toys and talking and he just grabbed me."

But this feisty 7-year old didn't go without a fight.

16:34
"First I was screaming and he put his hand over my mouth and then I was just kicking…kicking…kicking."

Her kicking and screaming worked. You see in the video the man drops Brittany and takes off running.

He heads for the exit..she heads toward safety.

17:18
"I was running looking for my momma."

Police arrested Woods a few hours later after they issued a statewide lookout for his vehicle. When questioned by reporters, Woods said he's innocent.

Thomas Woods
Suspect
16:09
"I didn't touch anybody. I didn't bother anybody. I was never there."

We found out this isn't Woods first run-in with the law. He was released from prison last October after serving 7 years for voluntary manslaughter.

EVEN With Woods back behind bars, Brittney says the next time she goes to Walmart she will not wander too far from her parents.
    She says other children should take her advice if a stranger grabs them.

17:59
"Make sure you scream and kick and then go tell somebody that you trust. Try to be safe."



Second grader Brittney Baxter said she was looking at toys in a Walmart aisle when a 25-year-old man tried to kidnap her on Wednesday.
"I was kickin' and screamin' and then he put his hand over my mouth, but I kept kicking," Brittney Baxter said.
Bremen police arrested Thomas Andrew Woods. He is charged with attempted kidnapping and other charges are pending.
Brittney Baxter said she's thankful her parents and teachers taught her how to fight off a stranger.
Brittney's mother, Georgeann, said she was shocked that this could happen in her town.
"I just never would think something like that would happen in a town like this," Georgeann Baxter said.
Police said Woods was on parole for manslaughter.