PHOENIX — A quiet evening in a Peoria neighborhood turned into a harrowing ordeal for a Valley mother and her newborn child Thursday night after a man reportedly attempted to kidnap the infant during their evening walk.

The woman, known by neighbors for her regular walks with her baby, was out just after 6:45 p.m. when the attack occurred in the gated Sweetwater Heights community. According to police, 43-year-old Matthew Cardon, a Peoria resident with a known history of mental health issues, approached her on the sidewalk in what authorities are calling a random and unprovoked assault.

Surveillance footage from a nearby home shows the woman walking past, with Cardon following close behind. Moments later, the woman is heard screaming for help.

Neighbors responded quickly. Lacy Conway, wh

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