Law and Order’s Mariska Hargitay praises young girl for using tip from series to identify kidnapper

Law and Order star Mariska Harigtay has praised an 11-year-old girl who used a tip from the series that helped identify her kidnapper.

Florida native Alyssa Bonal was caught on surveillance tape fighting off an attempted kidnap at her local school bus stop, and in order to save herself, she smeared blue slime on the suspect.

This helped enable police to uncover the suspected perpetrator – who has been identified as 30-year-old Jared Stanga – and catch him a few hours later.

Speaking on Today, Alyssa told host Kerry Sanders she had learnt to defend herself in such a way due to her regular watches of the drama show with her mother.

‘I knew that that [slime] might be better evidence if the cops do find him,’ she explained.

Alyssa also said that her attempted kindnapper ‘got out of his vehicle holding a knife’ when he first approached her.

Taking to Instagram, Mariska, 57, shared a screenshot of an online news report of the incident, lauding the young girl for her bravery and saying she was ‘relieved and grateful’ she was safe.

She wrote: ‘Alyssa, first and most important, I am so relieved and grateful to know that you are safe. And I am so honoured to be part of your incredible story.

‘You are one BRAVE, Strong and Smart young woman. I think the SVU squad might have to add slime to their crimefighting gear!

‘Take good care of yourself and each other. With all my love, your number one fan, Mariska.’

The actress also encouraged her followers to watch the video of the attempted kidnapping by clicking the link to the news report in her Instagram biography.

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Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said during a news conference on Wednesday (May 19) that Alyssa was ‘playing with blue slime’ near the bus stop when she was attacked.

He praised the girl’s actions, saying ‘she fought and she fought and she fought, until finally she was able to break free from her would-be captor.’

Chip later said that when police caught him, he ‘had blue slime all over his own arms’.

Although Alyssa is still recovering from the trauma of the incident, she attended school as usual on Wednesday.

Jared Stanga has now been charged with attempted kidnapping, aggravated assault with a knife and simple battery.

He has an ‘extensive’ criminal past that includes child sex abuse charges, according to Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.

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