They say kids are fearless, and an 8-year-old girl in Maplewood, Minnesota, just proved it. What started as a scary situation at Big Discount Liquors quickly turned into a story of bravery that won’t be forgotten.

Big Discount Liquors Maplewood MN
Big Discount Liquors Maplewood MN
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8-Year-Old Hero Fights Off Armed Robber with a Baseball Bat

On a Saturday night, just as Big Discount Liquors was about to close, 37-year-old Conchobhar Morrell from St. Paul walked into the store dressed in an Amazon uniform. He approached the counter, where the store manager, Leo, was finishing up for the day. Suddenly, Morrell pulled out a realistic BB gun from his pocket, placed it on the counter, and demanded all the money in the register.

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Leo agreed to hand over the money, but what Morrell didn’t know was that Leo’s 8-year-old daughter was behind the counter, witnessing the whole thing.

Big Discount Liquors Maplewood MN
Big Discount Liquors Maplewood MN
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Fatherly Instincts Take Over

When Morrell moved behind the counter, Leo’s instincts kicked in. “I’m a dad; I’m not going to let that happen,” Leo later said. He lunged at the robber, wrestling him to the ground. Meanwhile, Leo’s daughter, seeing her dad in trouble, jumped into action. Surveillance footage later showed the incredible moment when the little girl grabbed a baseball bat and joined the fight to protect her father.

Surveillance Video:

 

“I’m so proud of her. She’s so strong,” Leo said, amazed by his daughter’s courage. The girl hit the suspect a few times with the bat before running to safety. Leo didn’t even realize his daughter had intervened until he saw the video. “I just wanted to cry when I saw the video. I didn’t expect her to do that; I thought she’d be crying and screaming,” he said.

When asked why she acted so bravely, the young girl simply said she wanted to protect her dad because she loves him so much.

What Happened To The Robber?

As for the would-be robber, Morrell was caught and charged with first-degree attempted aggravated robbery. His criminal history isn’t clean; he was convicted of a similar crime in 2004. This time, however, he didn’t expect to face the beating of an 8-year-old girl.

Morrell worked as a delivery associate for a third-party service delivering Amazon packages, but the company has confirmed he will be “immediately offboarded.”

Big Discount Liquors Maplewood MN
Big Discount Liquors Maplewood MN
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Dealing With Things In Court

As of Tuesday evening, Morrell is still in custody, awaiting his next court appearance on Friday. But for Leo and his daughter, life is slowly getting back to normal. The scare may be over, but the memory of a brave little girl with a baseball bat will be cherished forever.

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