The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A San Diego man has been accused of attempting to kidnap the young daughter of a blind man after he encountered them on a light rail train.
On August 18, a blind man and his 6-year-old daughter were riding the Blue Line together from Long Beach back to their residence in the Westlake area of Los Angeles.
As the dad and his child were sitting together on the train, a man reportedly began conversing with him and made comments about his child. The father reported that the stranger was acting in a manner that was overly friendly for what he deemed was appropriate for the interaction.
The man reportedly asked the father if he could take the youngster home.
Others on board the train who overheard the interaction came forward in an attempt to intervene on behalf of the man and his child.
The concerned dad, who reported that he kept his daughter very close to him to make sure she was not taken, reached his desired stop and they disembarked the light rail train to catch their connecting city bus.
The man who had interacted with them on the train reportedly followed the same route of travel and boarded the bus with the father and child.
After reaching their stop and getting off the bus to return to their home, the father grasped his daughter’s hand while they walked to their residence.
The same man that had met them on the Blue Line had allegedly gotten off the bus and followed behind them while they strolled home.
Before they reached their destination, the man allegedly put his hands on the child in a manner that gave the impression he intended to take her.
As her father fought against the alleged kidnapper and began to holler for help, two citizens noticed the event and approached to see if they could lend assistance.
The two bystanders confronted the suspect, and he fled the scene before the authorities arrived.
After opening an investigation and reviewing surveillance footage from the cameras inside the public transportation vehicles, the authorities asserted that the suspect they were seeking was 24-year-old Elijah John Lopez.
The search for Lopez began, and he was tracked down on September 2 in San Diego where he reportedly resides.
After he was arrested, he was charged for suspicion of felony attempted kidnapping, and Lopez was sent back to Los Angeles where he was incarcerated on $125,000 bail.
Lopez has pleaded not guilty to the accusations.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a domestic violence offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.