Manchester — It was all instincts when Dawn Smith and Breyanna Schand took action when an 11-year-old girl walked into a local Dunkin’ asking for help last week to escape a man who police say was following her.

Smith, a shift leader at the Center Street store, said she has been working with Dunkin’ for more than two decades and has never seen a young girl come in fearing for her safety and seeking refuge.

Schand, a team member, said she was at the counter taking orders when the young girl came up speaking softly around 2 p.m. last Wednesday. She said she leaned over the counter, assuming the girl was just soft spoken.

The girl pointed to a man outside the Dunkin’ and claimed he had been following her while she walked down the road and gave her an opened pack of gum, according to Schand.

“So I took the gum out of her hand and I just threw it away,” Schand said. “I told her to come sit in the lobby and to not go back outside.”

Schand said she called Smith over to tell her what happened and immediately. Smith then talked with the girl to get more details about the situation.

"It was a serious situation and I called the cops," Smith said. "The cops came, they took care of her."

Smith said she got close to the window and watched the man pace on the sidewalk. She said she gave the dispatcher a detailed description of the man, which police said helped apprehend him.

"It was mother instinct," Smith said. "I have kids and it was probably instinct for the girl (to seek help)."

Manchester police arrived and apprehended 36-year-old Israel Santiago-Ortiz.

Shea said officers determined Santiago-Ortiz had two warrants for his arrest. He said Santiago-Ortiz was charged with second-degree breach of peace and risk of injury to a minor.

Santiago-Ortiz is due back in court Nov. 15.