This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A 9-year-old Salt Lake County girl foiled a would-be child abductor's plans by kicking and elbowing the man, before running away Thursday morning
The girl was walking to school near 1575 E. and 8480 South at about 9 a.m., when the man got out of a dark-colored mini-van and grabbed her arm, according to Unified police Lt. Justin Hoyal.
The victim kicked the man in the knee and he let go of the victim, but then grabbed her again, Hoyal said.
The victim then hit the man in the stomach with her elbow and was able to run away.
As the girl fled, she saw the man get back in the van, make a U-turn, and leave the area. The girl ran to school where she told some friends about the attempted abduction. They then told a teacher, who called police.
The man is described as a Caucasian in his late 20s or early 30s, with shoulder-length brown hair. He was wearing white sunglasses, a red beanie, a black hoodie with an unknown design, black sweat pants and black-and-white shoes.
The van had sliding doors on both sides and black leather interior.
Anyone with information about his identity or who was in the area and saw anything suspicious is asked to call the Unified Police Department at 801-743-7000.