Florida father, Hassan Rodriquez, feared son would’ve been killed by alleged kidnapper Nicolas Sternaman

The frightened father of the little boy who was almost kidnapped from a Florida pharmacy feared his son would have been killed if he had not fought off the creep during the disturbing incident.

Hassan Rodriguez was with his 4-year-old son and his wife leaving the Miami Beach pharmacy on Collins Avenue when suspect Nicolas Sternaman entered the store around 11:55 a.m. on February 8.

“He grabbed him by the neck, if I wasn’t behind him he would have killed him,” the father told an officer in body camera footage released Thursday, according to NBC Miami.

The terrified family had just arrived in the area from Cuba.

After walking past the boy’s mother, Sternaman, 26, allegedly leaned down and grabbed the toddler by the neck in an attempted kidnapping, turning his back on Rodriquez.

The quick-witted father lunged at the stranger, forcing the child to break free from his captor’s grip and fall to the ground, according to surveillance video from inside the store.

The two men walked away from the doors for several seconds while Rodriquez ripped off Sternaman’s jacket.

As Sternaman broke free from the father’s grip, the two men had a small confrontation before the creep rushed out the door and fled the store.

The alleged kidnapper didn’t get far, as Rodriquez and another buyer chased the man.

The other customer, Deven Surajpal, said he called 911, which helped police find Sternaman, according to WSVN.

Officers arrived and quickly took Sternaman into custody, just minutes after the attempted kidnapping.

While some officers dealt with the suspect, another went to speak with the distraught father who vividly recalled what had happened moments before.

The child and mother were placed in a police car for protection while police investigated Sternaman.

Officers at the scene were shocked to hear some of the details of the incident.

“A little 4-year-old walking – he’s a tourist – comes out with his family behind him, just comes, grabs him by the head and tries to – and tries to take him off,” one can be heard saying. officer say: depending on the point of sale.

“Strangedest thing I’ve ever heard,” one officer says as another suggests how to handle Sternaman.

“Don’t even ask him questions…we shook him up pretty good, didn’t we?” Nothing on him? We shook him, are you sure, we stroked him really well? There was nothing on him, no identification papers, nothing? asks an officer.

Surajpal told police he suspected the man was on drugs.

“‘Brother! This guy is about to run away!’ So, I just ran him over,” Surajpal told WSVN “I just saw him in the store and started running with him.”

“It’s a madman, in broad daylight, trying to snatch the victim, like that, out of nowhere!” said the good Samaritan.

“You can’t let him get away with this!” Kidnapping? Oh my God! What if he had had the baby? What would have happened then?

Before being placed in the back of the police car, Sternaman denied having any identification and claimed to be homeless.

Since his arrest, Sternaman has been in jail awaiting trial on charges of attempted kidnapping and misdemeanor battery.

On Tuesday, he appeared in court for a hearing to determine whether he was mentally fit to stand trial.

“You are presumed to be competent to move forward,” Miami-Dade Circuit Judge David H. Young said.

Sternaman is scheduled to appear in court May 31, according to court records.