Man Tried To Kidnap Child In OC Neighborhood, Police Say; Suspect At Large

WESTMINSTER, CA — Police sought the public's help Tuesday in finding a child annoyance suspect who tried to kidnap a girl while she was walking home from school.

The incident was reported on Oct. 2, when the Westminster Police Department took report of a child annoyance and attempted kidnapping that had taken place earlier that day.

The victim, a child, was leaving school on foot in the area of Brookhurst Street and Bishop Place at around 3:40 p.m., police said.

The girl walked by a parked gray sedan that had a man seated inside.

According to police, the man asked the child for directions — as the victim spoke to the man, he exposed his genitals to the girl before exiting his vehicle.

"The suspect told the victim several times to get in his vehicle," The WPD said in a statement. "He blocked her path and was attempting to prevent her from walking away. At one point, the suspect made physical contact with the victim."

Fortunately, the victim was able to escape and run eastbound toward a woman and her child.

"The Westminster Police Department has been unable to locate the woman that the victim ran toward and is seeking the public's help in finding her," the department added.

The suspect was described as a 5'7" man who weighs roughly 200 pounds. He was wearing a whtie and blue short sleeve button down shirt and dark pants at the time of the incident.

He was also wearing a face mask that covered his mouth and nose and had printed dinosaurs on it, police said.

Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact Detective J. Barnes at (714) 548-3784 and/or the Westminster Police Watch Commander at (714) 548-3767.