Authorities in the Santa Clarita Valley are warning parents that a man could be targeting local children after a kidnapping attempt earlier this month.
According to a social media alert issued by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the incident occurred on June 13 around 4:10 p.m. at the Valencia Hills Homeowners Association community pool.
“An adult male contacted a young boy leaving the pool area and asked [him] to come with him to another location,” the sheriff’s department said. “The male followed him for a short time before the juvenile could ride away on his bike.”
The suspect allegedly told the 8-year-old victim that he was previously a competitive swimmer, saying that he has a collection of trophies that he wanted to show the child.
The victim, Alden, spoke with KTLA’s Chris Wolfe and said the stranger became violent after he declined the offer. The boy broke free and was able to get home and tell adults what had happened.
“He got a little bit of my shirt, so I kept on peddling and then I got away,” Alden said.
No description of the man was immediately made available to the public, but Alden told investigators he may have been a man in his 30s. Neighbors believe the same man was seen lurking near the pool several days earlier, and a picture of the man has circulated online in recent days.
Authorities contacted the man in the photo, but they’ve been unable to confirm his involvement in the attempt kidnapping of Alden.
A member of the homeowner’s association said things like this don’t happen in their neighborhood and it’s left the community feeling a sense of concern.
“It was awful, still is, because the guy is still out there,” Alden’s mother, Mihaela added.
Investigators say that they’ll need hard evidence moving forward in the case, which led to the public alert.
“We would love the support of anyone who has seen him … we need more people who have seen him or have had an interaction with him,” Mihaela said.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has any information is asked to contact Detective Chappell by calling 661-260-4000 ext. 5618. Anonymous tips can be provided online or by call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.