Police: Teen sought in attempted kidnapping of 10-year-old girl from her front yard

Oct. 23, 2015 7:35 AM PT

A male in his late teens tried to kidnap a 10-year-old girl from her front yard in Costa Mesa last week, according to police.

The girl was alone waiting for her school bus to arrive about 8 a.m. Oct. 15 in the 3200 block of Turlock Drive when the teenager grabbed her around the waist and tried to carry her away, police said.

She managed to break free and ran home, where she told a relative what had happened, police said.

The teenager fled on foot, according to authorities.

Police are trying to identify the teenager. He was described as in his late teens with dark skin, black hair and a goatee. He was wearing a T-shirt and shorts, police said.

Police said they are not releasing further details about the incident.

Investigators asked that anyone with information about this case contact Det. David Sevilla at (714) 754-5637.

Jeremiah Dobruck

Jeremiah Dobruck was a public safety reporter for the Daily Pilot. He first came to the Pilot as an editorial intern in 2009. After a handful of other media-related jobs, he was hired full-time at the Pilot as a copy editor in 2012. He holds a bachelor’s in journalism from Cal State Fullerton. He left the Daily Pilot in 2016.