( CNN ) -- A 7-year-old Georgia girl fought off a man who 'd grabbed her in the aisle of a Walmart , with police eventually tracking down the suspect they accuse of attempted kidnapping . Georgeann Baxter told HLN 's Jane Velez-Mitchell that she was in the Bremen store with her daughter , Brittney , on Wednesday . `` We were walking around the Walmart , and we felt safe , '' the mother said , talking about how they were looking at Valentine 's Day cards and toys in the west Georgia store , about 45 miles west of Atlanta . When Baxter asked her daughter if she wanted to join her to get strawberries , the girl said that she wanted to stay in the toy aisle for a few more minutes . Soon thereafter , surveillance video from the Walmart -- later released by Bremen police -- shows a man approaching her . `` He came up to me and started a conversation , '' Brittney recalled Thursday to HLN . `` After ... I said , ' I 'm going to get my Mommy . '' The man is seen in the video picking up the young girl and starting to carry her away , as she flailed . Brittney said she responded as she 'd been taught by family , including her brother in the U.S. Army , and a school counselor in a lesson on how to respond if you 're touched inappropriately . `` Punch , kick and scream as hard as you can , and then tell somebody that you trust , '' she said of what she did -- and what she 'd tell others to do , if they 're in the same situation . Eventually , the man put the girl down and fled the store . Police later caught and arrested Thomas Woods , whom they accuse of trying to kidnap Brittney . On Thursday , Woods , in his mid-20s , insisted to reporters -- including those from CNN affiliate WSB -- that he was innocent . `` I did n't bother nobody . I was never there , '' he said . According to information from the Georgia Department of Corrections , Woods was released on parole last October after serving four and a half years of a 7-year term for voluntary manslaughter . Bremen Police Chief Keith Pesnell told HLN that he favored changing the rules , so that there were greater restrictions on people who are convicted of violent crimes -- to prevent incidents like the one that allegedly happened to Brittney . `` I think it 's time we have to look at things , for the safety of the children , '' Pesnell said . `` Fortunately , things are in place to train our kids , and Brittney did exactly the right thing . '' Speaking to HLN 's Vinnie Politan , Emily Altman -- a counselor at the Tallapoosa Primary School -- said that she 'd taught Brittney and other students as young as four years old some self-defense basics as part of a program called `` Good Touch , Bad Touch . '' `` It 's never too early to say , you stay right with mom , or you yell and scream if somebody were to ( grab you ) , '' Altman said of the program . However she learned what to do , young Brittney responded `` perfectly '' to the alleged kidnapper , her counselor said . `` I could n't be prouder or her , '' Altman said .
Video from a Georgia Walmart shows a man grabbing a young girl . The girl says she punched , kicked and screamed before he let go . Police later arrest a man they said tried to kidnap the 7-year-old girl . The suspect says , `` I did n't bother nobody . I was never there ''