Police were asking for the public's help in identifying a man who allegedly tried to kidnap three children Saturday at a park in East Los Angeles, authorities said.
Deputies responded around 2:47 p.m. after receiving a report about an attempted kidnapping at Salazar Park, located in the 3800 block of Whittier Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
The man fled from the scene when the children's mother confronted him after he allegedly grabbed her two daughters and tried dragging them toward the men's restroom at the park, officials said.
Two sisters were walking toward the water fountain on the east side of the park when they noticed their younger brother talking to the man. When the older sister confronted her brother, the man grabbed the younger sister and the older sister pulled her away from him, authorities said.
The man then grabbed at the older sister, who eventually was able to free herself from him after screaming and punching the man several times. They ran back to their mother and told her what allegedly happened, authorities said.
The mother alerted Los Angeles County Department Park and Recreation staff, and followed the the man north through the park. The man then ran across Whittier Boulevard and was out of view.
Officials released a composite sketch of the man, who is described as a Hispanic male, between the ages of 30 to 40 years old, who is approximately 5 foot 7 inches, and weighs between 160 to 180 pounds. He had brown eyes, short black hair, a small moustache and goatee, and has a tattoo of a dragon around his arm with the head of a creature on the back of his hand. He spoke Spanish and wore a white t-shirt and faded black pants.
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Anyone with information about the alleged kidnapping attempt was encouraged to contact Sergeant Kemp of the LASD Parks Bureau at 909-394-9705 or submit anonymously through lacrimestoppers.org.
