SAPD: Girl abducted from parents in CPS custody

Police still searching for man who took girl, 7

SAN ANTONIO – A 7-year-old girl who was abducted early Thursday morning from a restaurant on the near North Side was found and placed in the custody of Child Protective Services.

Officer Douglas Greene, a spokesman for the San Antonio Police Department, said investigators felt it was in the best interest of the child to place her in protective custody due to "ongoing child custody issues." Greene didn't elaborate any further about that part of the case.

Greene said officers responded to a kidnapping call around 12:30 a.m from LuLu's Bakery and Cafe at 918 N. Main Ave.

The couple told police that they had been eating there with a man whom they had just met. Greene said that the man offered them a ride after midnight as they walked down West Commerce Street pushing their daughter in a stroller.

Greene said the man drove them to several restaurants before arriving at LuLu's. The parents said that at some point while they were eating, they both went to the restroom, leaving their sleeping daughter with the man.

Greene said when they came back, the man and their child were gone.

Officers found the girl about 20 minutes later standing outside a nearby Jack In The Box restaurant crying.

Greene said that the child was not harmed. He said it appears that when she woke up and began crying, the man decided to drop her off at that location.

Based on interviews with the family, detectives obtained a description of the kidnapper. They said the man is in his 50s, about 5 feet 7 inches tall, has salt-and-pepper-colored hair and is missing some teeth.

The kidnapper also is believed to have been driving a burgundy SUV.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call SAPD or Crime Stoppers at 210-224-STOP (7867).

Greene said detectives also plan to review surveillance video from nearby businesses. 


About the Author:

Katrina Webber joined KSAT 12 in December 2009. She reports for Good Morning San Antonio. Katrina was born and raised in Queens, NY, but after living in Gulf Coast states for the past decade, she feels right at home in Texas. It's not unusual to find her singing karaoke or leading a song with her church choir when she's not on-air.