CINCINNATI - An 8-year-old who helped his older sister escape a potential kidnapper is being hailed a hero by Ohio police.

The children were traveling with their grandmother, 69-year-old Nita Coburn, on Thursday afternoon to the Atrium Medical Center. Coburn parked outside an entrance to the hospital and helped a friend toward the door. The children remained in the back seat, police said.

About 10 seconds after Coburn exited the car, 24-year-old Dalvir Singh is accused of entering and attempting to drive away with the children inside.

"The little boy opened the door to escape and the little girl started to jump out also but the man grabbed the hoodie of the little girl not allowing her to leave," police wrote on Facebook Friday. "As she tried to get away, her little brother grabbed hold of her and pulled her away from the kidnapper and they both tumbled out of the vehicle as it was moving."

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The 10-year-old girl and boy escaped successfully, but Coburn was unaware of this, police said, because she was running alongside the car on the opposite side. She clung to the car until it accelerated and she was forced to let go, police said.

But officers in the area stopped Singh near Nelbar Street and he was detained.

Police originally responded to the hospital on a report of an injured woman and a car theft.

Singh is charged with two counts of kidnapping, felonious assault and grand theft.

The Middletown Division of Police said it will formally recognize the boy's actions at a later date.

"This little guy is a hero. No question," said Chief Rodney Muterspaw in a statement. "He pulled his sister out of the car with no concern for his own safety. That is incredible at his age."

Muterspaw also commended the two officers who stopped Singh.

Follow Max Londberg on Twitter: @MaxLondberg