Canada's Governor General will present a medal of bravery to a Prince George woman for her quick action when a man attempted to kidnap a child at a local playground.
Chelsi Sabbe is to receive the award on Tuesday in Ottawa.
The owner of a licenced daycare put her martial arts training to use on Aug. 15, 2017 when she noticed a man approaching two of the children in her care.
When he snatched one of the children and attempted to flee, Sabbe tackled him to the ground.
Grabbing the child, she ran back to the park, ordering the other children to climb to the top of the play structure.
The suspect returned and Sabbe wrestled him to the ground and put him in a choke hold, while the children ran to a neighbour's house for safety.
Kenneth Jim Louis John of Fort St. James was arrested. He was later found not criminally responsible for the act, as well as for a similar incident earlier the same day, due to a mental disorder.
As of January 30, John remains under the supervision of the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Coquitlam.
- with files from The Canadian Press
