Madera mom fights sex offender to rescue her son

A mother Monday rescued her 8-year-old son from a registered sex offender after a desperate fight at a downtown Madera apartment complex, police reported.

Madera officers rushed to the complex in the 300 block of North B Street and took Michael Bland into custody on multiple charges after they were sent to the scene. The incident began when the mother went to the laundry room at the complex with her son. Police said Bland followed, locked the door, turned off the lights and grabbed the son. As Bland dragged the boy outside, the mother pursued and was punched by the suspect before he released the boy. Charges faced by Bland include kidnapping.

This story was originally published July 25, 2017 at 9:33 AM with the headline "Madera mom fights sex offender to rescue her son."