Police arrest man who held knife to 7-year-old's throat in Pittsfield Twp

PITTSFIELD TWP., Mich. - Police have arrested the suspect wanted for holding a knife to the throat of a 7-year-old girl Sunday in Pittsfield Township.

Melvin Francis Sroute, Jr. was taken into custody Monday night according to investigators after turning himself in.

Police say the suspect approached the 35 year old mother and her 7-year-old little girl as they were putting groceries into their car at Meijer. 

That was when Sroute allegedly grabbed the little girl, put a large knife to her throat and demanded the mother get into her vehicle or he would kill her child.

Police say other people in this parking lot started speaking to the suspect and the mother and her child were able to get away uninjured.

Sroute then stole the victim's wallet from the shopping cart and took off on foot towards Ellsworth Road in Pittsfield Township

Investigators say a police dog helped to initiate a track that recovered evidence from the suspect and the victim's property.