CRIME

Utah parents: 'Divine providence' foiled daughter's kidnapping when suspect confronted

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Aaron Edson and his wife Stephanie describe the experience of seeing a man trying to kidnap their 5-year-old daughter Lainey from their Sandy, Utah, home last week, during an interview in New York, Monday, Nov. 10, 2014. In what Edson believes was an act of "divine intervention," he convinced the intruder to hand his stepdaughter back. Police caught up with Troy Morley, 48, of Roy, Utah, two blocks away after Morley broke into another house in the neighborhood. Morley was arrested and booked on charges of child kidnapping, burglary, trespassing and resisting arrest. The 5-year-old girl wasn't hurt in the frightening experience. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) (The Associated Press)

Aaron Edson and his wife Stephanie describe the experience of seeing a man trying to kidnap their five year-old daughter Lainey from their Sandy, Utah, home last week, during an interview in New York, Monday, Nov. 10, 2014. In what Edson believes was an act of "divine intervention," he convinced the intruder to hand his stepdaughter back. Police caught up with Troy Morley, 48, of Roy, Utah, two blocks away after Morley broke into another house in the neighborhood. Morley was arrested and booked on charges of child kidnapping, burglary, trespassing and resisting arrest. The 5-year-old girl wasn't hurt in the frightening experience. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) (The Associated Press)

Aaron Edson, left, and his wife Stephanie describe the experience of seeing a man trying to kidnap their 5-year-old daughter Lainey from their Sandy, Utah, home last week, during an interview in New York, Monday, Nov. 10, 2014. In what Edson believes was an act of "divine intervention," he convinced the intruder to hand his stepdaughter back during a conversation on their front lawn. Police caught up with Troy Morley, 48, of Roy, Utah, two blocks away after Morley broke into another house in the neighborhood. Morley was arrested and booked on charges of child kidnapping, burglary, trespassing and resisting arrest. The 5-year-old girl wasn't hurt in the frightening experience. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) (The Associated Press)

The Utah parents whose 5-year-old daughter was taken from their home say "divine providence" played a hand in keeping them calm and getting her back when her father confronted the suspect.

Stephanie and Aaron Edson were in New York City on Monday, just days after they say they awoke to hear someone in their suburban Salt Lake City home who then left with their daughter Lainey.

Aaron Edson says that when he ran outside Friday morning and saw the man, his gut instinct told him to remain as calm as possible. He says he told the man that Lainey had to stay, and the man released her.

Edson says he feels if he had yelled and screamed at the man, "something horrible would have happened."

The suspect was later arrested.