Man armed with baseball bat kidnaps child

A mother in the US has defended her ex-partner after video emerged of him kidnapping her toddler and threatening a babysitter with a baseball bat.

Video recorded by the babysitter's friend shows Joseph Lawrence Smith, 22, armed with a bat, entering the Fallbrook, San Diego house and throwing the three-year-old girl over his shoulder.

"You're coming at me with a bat and there's a kid around … you're acting way out of it," the unidentified babysitter is heard saying.

When she tries to stop him, Smith throws her to the ground before speeding off in a car with two other women.

Ten minutes later, Smith returned the child to her mother at work, just as police were responding to the babysitter's report.

He later told police he took the toddler because her mother had given away his property.

Speaking to reporters, mother Julia Rubinger remained adamant Smith would not hurt her or her daughter.

"He looks like this crazy, mean, horrible person but he's not that person at all," she said.

Smith, 22, was arrested on charges of kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy and burglary.

He also had a no-bail warrant from a theft in 2010.

Source: NBC
Author: Chloe Ross, Approving editor: Martin Zavan