A ten-year-old boy from Pennsylvania managed to escape a woman following him by asking a store clerk to pretend to be his mother, as shown in security footage. Sammy Green was walking home from school in Pottstown when the woman started following him, his father, Sam Green, shared with WPVI.

Sam Green expressed how deeply upsetting it was to see his son frightened and seeking help, fearing for his safety. The Pottstown Police Department confirmed they had located the woman and were referring her for mental health services, though they did not provide further comment.

The woman allegedly tried to persuade Sammy to come to a local convenience store, WaWa, claiming she was a friend of his father. She walked with him, asking about his family and where his dad was. She even promised Sammy he could get anything he wanted at the store.

Security footage from a nearby store, Dani Bee Funky, shows Sammy walking in and speaking to 17-year-old cashier Hannah Daniels while the woman waits at the door. Sammy quietly told the cashier to “act like you’re my mom” because the woman was following him. The footage shows the cashier locking the door as the woman walks away.

Store owner Dani Small praised Hannah for her quick response, while Sammy, still shaken, clung to the cashier’s side. Green shared that he was moved to tears every time he watched the footage and said his son was still trembling after the encounter.