Possible Attempted Kidnapping At Bus Stop Under Investigation

March 5, 2014

The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday afternoon that they are investigating a possible attempted kidnapping at a bus stop that occurred last Thursday. The incident occurred on Champion Oaks Drive in the Bellview area.

The 10-year old female victim told investigators that she had gotten off of her school bus and started walking towards her home when she noticed a gray car drive past her. She said the car stopped ahead of her, and a white male got out and started walking towards the rear of his car. The victim said she stopped and started walking backwards away from him. She said the man began running towards her and she turned and ran to her friend’s house for help.

The suspect has been described as a man in his 50’s with a thin build and short, and salt and pepper colored hair. At the time of the incident, the suspect was wearing a white t-shirt, light-colored blue jeans and black boots or high-top tennis shoes. He had no visible tattoos or distinguishing facial features.

The vehicle was a 1980’s LTD Crown Victoria in very good condition, medium to dark gray in color, four-doors, bearing a regular Florida tag. The mirrors on both doors and the antenna were missing. The passenger-side headlight was broken. Additionally, the vehicle had very dark, tinted windows and regular-sized, silver rims.

Anyone with information on the man or the vehicle should contact the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9426 or (850) 436-9620.

Comments

25 Responses to “Possible Attempted Kidnapping At Bus Stop Under Investigation”

  1. Peggy on March 7th, 2014 1:23 pm

    Kudos to the child for running and for noticing details. I taught my children at very young ages our phone #, where we worked, and I would let them how to tell me how to get home from the mall, grocery, school, etc. I wanted them to be able to give as much info as possible should they be kidnapped, threatened, etc. Even now at 26 and 38 yrs old they are very much in tune to their surroundings and pay attention to detail. They are never too young to be taught safety. Congrats to her parents for teaching and to her for helping to get this info out so the man can hopefully be caught and stopped from succeeding next time he tries.

  2. Cathy Ingram on March 6th, 2014 8:39 pm

    How terrible. The most effective action we can take is to communicate this event and perpetrator description to as many people as we can. Make it available at public places frequented by children (schools, libraries, community centers, shopping centers, movie theatres, etc.). The ‘average’ ‘everyday’ person must get involved and act if anything is going to change. We can no longer sit back under the illusion that law enforcement can take care of it all.
    Give each child a whistle to wear around their neck that they can easily use to attract attention may be a deterrent. Educate your children. Hopefully this person will be caught and removed from society for a long time.

  3. just sayin' on March 6th, 2014 7:00 pm

    My remark was not aimed at you or the website. I would like to know why it took them a week to release it. Seems a little negligent on their part. Someone may have been able to provide additional info. Waiting a week before releasing this could result in the perp getting rid of the car, painting it, or fleeing the area.

  4. William on March 6th, 2014 4:39 pm

    >>>>This happened last Thursday? My question is why it took a week for this article to come out?

    We published the article after the information was released by the Sheriff’s Office.

  5. tanyetta on March 6th, 2014 3:39 pm

    Thank Goodness she’s OK! That’s VERY scary.

  6. just sayin' on March 6th, 2014 2:07 pm

    This happened last Thursday? My question is why it took a week for this article to come out? I live close and have an 8 and 11 year old that ride a bus home and have not heard anything about this until now.

  7. jcellops on March 6th, 2014 10:38 am

    since immediate traffic had to come to a stop for the child to exit the school bus, perhaps we have a very observent school bus driver…after all, most likely, whoever noticed the broken passenger-side headlight had to be facing the perps vehicle headon (like the bus driver)…i think its pretty obvious that the descriptions of the man and his vehicle were a group effort of witnesses (and the child) at the scene..nonetheless, the child handled herself perfectly.

  8. paul on March 6th, 2014 9:24 am

    At least I’m not the only impressed by the detailed description..

  9. Ronda Kelly on March 6th, 2014 5:39 am

    If he took chase after her, he would have had to turn around back to his car and drive off, giving her friends and their neighbors plenty of time to get a description.

  10. Stephanie foley on March 5th, 2014 10:53 pm

    Happened in Navarre a couple years ago to my daughter at the bus stop. Same male descriptors only he was in an old white work van with tinted windows.

  11. melodies4us on March 5th, 2014 10:30 pm

    I am so glad this young lady ran to her friend’s house for help and most of all glad that she is safe . My daughter almost got kid napped in a very similar circumstance on Pine Forest Rd. while jogging. The perp fits this discription.

  12. Patricia on March 5th, 2014 8:59 pm

    Just because the article did not mention anyone else does not mean a neighbor did not see the vehicle. Maybe another car came driving past while the little girl was running and took notice of the vehicle. MY GOSH YOU NEGATIVE PEOPLE, FOCUS ON THE IMPORTANCE HERE SHE IS SAFE AND HE NEEDS TO BE CAUGHT.

  13. mick on March 5th, 2014 5:52 pm

    FIND HIM, PROSECUTE HIM WITH EXTREME PREJUDICE!

  14. margaret featherman on March 5th, 2014 12:25 pm

    And this is why children should not be walking home by themselves at such a young age … to many perverts

  15. Pamela Young on March 5th, 2014 10:53 am

    My daughter has taught her daughters very well about these type of people. I believe my granddaughters would be able to give very accurate details. The kids today are more perceptive then many adults.

  16. Nonnie on March 5th, 2014 10:50 am

    Please quit calling out why you don’t agree with writer and look out for a possible pervert people….seriously. Some ten year olds are smarter then ya think and to them if car didn’t have dents it looked in good constitution, so what, poor little girl scared to death smart and educated on how to handle this probly parents work and not able to be every where at once. Who knows all the story is what im saying, we could guess all day long but what matters is FIND HIM!!

  17. michelle on March 5th, 2014 10:43 am

    May she meant good condition as in no dents or scratches. Maybe the police showed her different pictures of cars?
    Why are people “nit picking”? She is lucky she is safe and her parents have their child home.
    Would your children/grandchildren know what to do? Good girl :)

  18. cj on March 5th, 2014 9:40 am

    Did the narrative say the young lady was the only one to see the car? If so, I missed that – but she did have time to study the car and it was smart of her to walk backwards for a few seconds to see everything and to make sure she might be in danger. Great job parents.

  19. anonymous on March 5th, 2014 9:00 am

    How would a 10 year old know that is was a 1980s Crown Vic?

    Also, how can you say the car is in ‘very good condition’ if its missing both mirrors, an antenna, and had a busted headlight?

  20. Vivid Decription on March 5th, 2014 8:36 am

    When I was growing up I was taught how to handle these kinds of situations, what details to pay attention to.. I remember being out in the yard and a family friend telling up to turn around and give every description of a car after it passed by.. I was able to do it with no problems at 10 years old… She did a great job.. hope they catch this fag!

  21. Ali on March 5th, 2014 8:20 am

    That description is NOT to detailed for a 10 yr old. We are not talking about a kindergartner here. That means the parents are doing their job, teaching their kids to be aware of their surroundings. If you can’t be there to watch your children at the bus stop, please teach them to be aware and cautious, so they can do their best to protect themselves. I have witnessed children to young to be at a bus stop alone, stand alone, simply because a parent was to lazy to get out of bed.

  22. curious on March 5th, 2014 8:11 am

    Good job kid, maybe see if you could talk to other kids, younger & older, what you did was very smart, not many 10 yr. olds would do even if they had been taught.

  23. Ben on March 5th, 2014 7:39 am

    That’s a very detailed description for a 10 year old to give. Did somone else witness this and provide information?

    There was a bank robbed the other day. Their description of the suspect stinks compared to this.

  24. Huh? on March 5th, 2014 7:09 am

    In very good condition! It’s only missing two mirrors, antenna and got one busted headlight! Ever thought of selling used cars?

  25. Tina on March 5th, 2014 6:53 am

    Thank GOD that little girl thought quick enough to know he was up to NO good, and acted quickly by running to a friends house.
    And what a great memory she has, remembering all the details of him, and the car.
    Hope this creep gets caught before he gets his hands on an innocent child.
    To the little girl…..You done well sweetheart. Smart and quick. Good for you :)

    To the creep….hope you get caught and pulled from the streets. You’re going to mess up and run into the wrong Dad, and hopefully he puts a stop to your perverted ways!