201909.24
0

Woman, 11-year-old girl escape kidnapping attempts along Aliso Creek trail in Laguna Hills

by in News

A 28-year-old woman and 11-year old girl managed to escape separate kidnapping attempts that happened days apart from each other along the Aliso Creek Hiking Trail, where investigators had already received reports of possibly two other men suspected of groping minors, officials said Tuesday, Sept. 24.

The attempted abductions happened near Sheep Hills Park, located in Laguna Hills, at the city’s border with Aliso Viejo, Orange County Sheriff’s officials said in a news release. The most recent incident happened Tuesday at about 8:45 a.m.

  • The Orange County Sheriff’s Department reported two kidnapping attempts near Sheep Hills Park and the Aliso Creek Hiking Trail, days after deputies released two sketches of suspects who allegedly groped minors not far away. Sheep Hills Park in Aliso Viejo on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • The Orange County Sheriff’s Department reported two kidnapping attempts near Sheep Hills Park and the Aliso Creek Hiking Trail, days after deputies released two sketches of suspects who allegedly groped minors not far away. The Aliso Creek Hiking trail cuts through Sheep Hills Park in Aliso Viejo on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Sound
    The gallery will resume inseconds

  • A girl walks home near an underpass under Laguna Hills Dr. near Sheep Hills Park in Aliso Viejo on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department reported two kidnapping attempts near the park, days after deputies released two sketches of suspects who allegedly groped minors not far away. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • The Orange County Sheriff’s Department reported two kidnapping attempts near Sheep Hills Park and the Aliso Creek Hiking Trail, days after deputies released two sketches of suspects who allegedly groped minors not far away. Sheep Hills Park in Aliso Viejo on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A young jogger heads into a tunnel under Via Lomas near Sheep Hills Park in Aliso Viejo on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department reported two kidnapping attempts near Sheep Hills Park and the Aliso Creek Hiking Trail, days after deputies released two sketches of suspects who allegedly groped minors not far away. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • The Orange County Sheriff’s Department reported two kidnapping attempts near Sheep Hills Park and the Aliso Creek Hiking Trail, days after deputies released two sketches of suspects who allegedly groped minors not far away. Sheep Hills Park in Aliso Viejo on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Young joggers head into a tunnel under Via Lomas near Sheep Hills Park in Aliso Viejo on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department reported two kidnapping attempts near Sheep Hills Park and the Aliso Creek Hiking Trail, days after deputies released two sketches of suspects who allegedly groped minors not far away. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • The Orange County Sheriff’s Department reported two kidnapping attempts near Sheep Hills Park and the Aliso Creek Hiking Trail, days after deputies released two sketches of suspects who allegedly groped minors not far away. A playground sits in the background at Sheep Hills Park in Aliso Viejo on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Bikers under an overpass on Moulton Parkway near Sheep Hills Park in Aliso Viejo on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department reported two kidnapping attempts near the park, days after deputies released two sketches of suspects who allegedly groped minors not far away. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

of

Expand

A woman reported hearing someone jogging behind her near an underpass of Moulton Parkway along the Aliso Creek Hiking trail before she was grabbed by her elbow and pulled, sheriff’s officials said. The suspect let go of her after she head-butted him, and she was able to run away. The victim was unable to describe the suspect’s face to sketch artists, but told deputies he stood roughly 5’10”, with medium length dark brown hair. He was seen wearing a black sweatshirt that bore a large colored logo on its back, and jeans with a rip near the seat.

In a separate incident along the hiking trail on Wednesday, Sept. 18, a man grabbed an 11-year-old girl who was walking her dog at about 6:30 p.m., and dragged her toward nearby bushes, sheriff’s officials said. She screamed, so he released her and fled. The victim told investigators that the suspect in that kidnapping attempt had short dark hair and wore a red Angels sweatshirt, blue jeans and black shoes. She was able to see his face, and authorities released a drawing based on her description of it on Tuesday.

News of the would-be abductions along the Aliso Creek Hiking Trail comes on the heels of a pair of child annoyance cases reported in the area earlier this month. A 12-year-old victim was groped near Windsong and Aliso Creek Roard while she was on her way to school  on Thursday, Sept. 12, sheriff’s officials said in an earlier news release. A 16-year-old girl told deputies she was touched by a suspect while walking home along the trail on Tuesday, Sept. 17.

The trail follows the path of Aliso Creek, which flows through several parks, single-family residences and Aliso Viejo Middle School. It links the cities of Laguna Hills and Aliso Viejo, and is frequented by hikers and bicyclists from both communities.

The Sheriff’s Department formed a task force last week to look into the recent cases reported near the trail, and was working to determine if the incidents were related, officials said. No arrests had been made as of Tuesday afternoon. Authorities have asked anyone with information that might aid investigators to contact deputies by calling 714-647-7000. Anonymous tips can also be left with OC Crime Stoppers by dialing 855-TIP-OCCS (847-6227) or visiting occrimestoppers.org.