Kidnapped girl chews herself free

A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD girl escaped kidnappers in Philadelphia by chewing through the tape binding her arms and legs, smashing a window and calling children playing nearby to help her, police said.

One of the children rode his bike from the abandoned building where Erica Pratt was being held to alert officers, Lieutenant Michael Chitwood said.

The girl had been grabbed, kicking and screaming, from in front of her home the evening before.

Chitwood said Erica had only minor injuries, and that police were searching for two suspects.

While being held in a police officer's arms, Erica waved to TV cameras and beamed with a wide smile as she was carried home.

"She is an amazing little girl," Chief Inspector Robert Davis said.

Erica had been left in the basement of the building in north Philadelphia with duct tape around her arms and legs and covering her eyes, police said.

"She was eventually able to free herself from the duct tape, she broke through the basement door, she made her way to the first floor. She could not get out, so she smashed the window," Lt Chitwood said.

"She summoned help from a couple of little kids who were playing in front of the house."

They pulled her out of the window, and alerted police, Chitwood said. Erica was taken to hospital. Police said she had a corneal abrasion on one eye.

Police said they were searching for suspects James Burns, 29, and Edward Johnson, 23. The men were known to the girl's family.

Erica was playing on Monday with her five-year-old sister in front of their grandmother's home in southwest Philadelphia. Two men drove up, called her by name and dragged her into their car, witnesses told police.

Less than 20 minutes later, Erica's grandmother received the first of at least six calls from man threatening to kill the girl unless he received a £95,000 ransom, police said.

Erica's mother, Serena Gillis, had pleaded for her safe return.