Police: Registered sex offender attempts to abduct 3-year-old at MIA

A registered sex-offender is behind bars after police said he attempted to abduct a 3-year-old girl at Miami International Airport on Tuesday.

Cuong Nguyen, 42, was arrested and charged with attempted kidnapping and false imprisonment of a child under 13, said Miami-Dade Police. He is a registered sex offender in Pinellas County after being convicted in 1996 for lewd and lascivious behavior on a child under 16, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

He told detectives he liked kids and “thought she was cute,” according to his arrest affidavit.

The family had flown to MIA from Argentina and were at the rental car center. The 3-year-old and her two siblings, a 6- and 7-year-old, were walking toward a water fountain with their father following behind when Nguyen grabbed the girl by her wrist, according to the police report.

The girl was able to free herself and ran toward her mother, who was nearby. An officer responded and Nguyen was taken to the special victims bureau for questioning.

Detectives said that’s where Nguyen, who told police he was homeless, admitted to taking the victim by her arm. An officer wrote that Nguyen said “he would kiss the victim.”

This story was originally published January 27, 2016 at 9:17 PM with the headline "Police: Registered sex offender attempts to abduct 3-year-old at MIA."