New Surveillance Video Captures Image Of Suspected Gardena Kidnapper's Car
GARDENA (CBSLA.com) — A new video released Friday captured images of what is believed to be a vehicle involved in the abduction of a 2-year-old Gardena girl, police said.
The girl reportedly walked away from her parents at a self-service car wash near 149th Street and Western in Gardena around 5 p.m. Thursday, authorities said.
KNX 1070's Pete Demetriou reports she was reportedly dropped off in Cudahy by a man driving a white vehicle, possibly a Nissan Altima, from model years 2008-12.
That vehicle is believed to have been captured driving through an area neighborhood in camera footage released by Gardena police, according to Lt. Steve Prendergast. It wasn't immediately clear where or when the footage was taken.
The suspect's vehicle was previously captured on surveillance video behind the car wash.
"This is a stranger abduction, this is not a family abduction," said Prendergast. "The information we have is that the victim does not know the suspect."
The girl's mother told police that while vacuuming her car, she heard her daughter cry out "Mommy" and then couldn't find her, Nochlin reported.
Witnesses said the girl was dropped off in the middle of a street at Atlantic and Santa Ana Avenue in Cudahy.
The girl was found safe and taken to St. Francis Hospital in Lynwood for treatment or precaution, police said.
"She is okay," said Ed Medrano with the Gardena Police Department. "We don't know anything else."
A search for the suspect is continuing, police said.
Police are asking anyone with information about the vehicle or any other info about the case to call 911 or Gardena police at (310) 323-7911.
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