Chilling images have emerged of a young girl hiding in a bush and seeking help after a terrifying kidnapping attempt in Melbourne.
An unknown man driving a gray Audi Q3 SUV allegedly told the 11-year-old to get into his car as she walked home from school to Landscape Drive, Doncaster East, on Thursday, March 28.
She ran out of the bushes and sought help from a nearby man who was with his daughter.
Newly acquired footage from 7NEWS captures the moment the little girl seeks help after a terrifying encounter.
It shows her looking anxiously at the street as she tells him her phone has died.
She ran out of the bushes and sought help from a nearby man who was with his daughter
“She was shaking and trembling, and I have never seen anyone so scared and petrified,” her rescuer said.
He went on to say that the girl kept apologizing for asking the man to take her home.
“I said I’m so proud of you. Getting help is a very good skill.’
The girl’s parents were distraught and repeatedly thanked the rescuer for their help in ensuring their daughter arrived home safely.
She was not physically injured.
A man driving a gray Audi Q3 SUV allegedly told the 11-year-old to get into his car as she walked home from school to Doncaster East, in Melbourne, on Thursday, March 28.
Victoria Police are looking for the man in his 30s, with a Middle Eastern appearance, tan skin, black hair, a black beard and a mustache
Detective Senior Constable Brooke Miller described the incident as ‘appalling’ at a press conference last month.
“A little girl should feel safe walking home from school,” she said.
Victoria Police are looking for the man in his 30s, of Middle Eastern appearance, with tan skin, black hair, a black beard and a moustache.
He was wearing a gray T-shirt and sunglasses with brown lenses.
Anyone with information, including CCTV or dashcam footage, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.