Child abduction suspect sought
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

The man who captured and released a 9yearold Simi Valley girl last week is still on the loose, and authorities are asking residents for help in their efforts to apprehend the man.

The girl, whose name was not released because of her age, was playing outside her apartment complex on Patricia Avenue at about 4 p.m. last Thursday when a middle-aged Hispanic man grabbed her by the hair and forced her into his vehicle.

According to the Simi Valley police, the man drove around the city with his victim and at some point stopped to ingest a white powdery substance.

He prompted her to do the same, but she didn't cooperate, police said.

The man also partially disrobed and tried to sexually molest the girl, but she fought him off, said Lt. Roy Jones.

"She resisted significantly enough (to suffer) minor scratches and bruises," he said, but apparently did not suffer sexual assault.

The young victim, who Jones said was extremely courageous, was released a block away from her home about an hour after she was taken.

As of Thursday authorities were still seeking the man.

"We're still looking for people to give us information," Jones said.

Thanks to the young girl's description, officers were able to create a police sketch of the suspect and provide a description of his vehicle. They canvassed nearby neighborhoods and handed out fliers, hoping to get input.

T he likelihood that an officer will stumble upon this guy isn't great, Jones said.

"It's naive of us to think we can find this guy because we have a description," he said.

Although false incident reports do occur, Jones said, this case appears to be genuine. Interviews with the victim convinced officers the incident is credible, he said.

The man's strange behavior is not unprecedented either.

"We can't get into the mind of any criminal suspect to predict what their motives are. Every case is unique," Jones said.

A similar incident occurred earlier last week in Oxnard when a 10-year-old girl reported that she was accosted while she was walking to a school bus stop. That girl also fought off her attacker before he could take her away, and she provided a description of the man to the police.

Authorities don't think the incidents are related because descriptions from the victims don't match.

The Simi Valley abductor is described as thin, about 5 feet 7, with a thin build, short curly hair and a mustache. He is about 45 to 50 years old.

The man was driving a dirty, dark-colored four-door pickup truck with a camper shell, according to Simi Police.

The Oxnard victim told authorities her attacker is either Caucasian or Latino with a light complexion. He also is about 5 feet 7, weighing about 150 pounds, but is 25 to 30 years old.

The Simi Valley victim is a student at Berylwood Elementary School. According to Principal Nancy Mason, students at the school are trained on how to respond when confronted by strangers. Parents also play a big role in teaching their children how to protect themselves, she said.

"We are thankful our student is safe, and we will continue to work together with families to keep all children safe," Mason said.

Police are asking anyone with any information related to the case to call the police department at (805) 583-6950.