A nine-year-old girl was found barefoot and crying with her hands tied with zips after she was allegedly abducted by a stranger on her way to school, a witness said.
The little girl was said to have been snatched by a mysterious man at about 8:45am on Friday as she was on her way to school in Warnbro, south Perth.
A concerned parent saw the girl getting into a silver ute and reported it to the school, who in turn reported the suspicious encounter to the police.
“They thought that was suspicious and immediately reported it to the school,” said acting Det-Insp. Scott Johnson of the Sex Crimes Division said.
“The school made every effort to check that the child was at school and contacted the parents, but the police did not respond.”
The nine-year-old was soon reported missing and police launched a full-scale search – before she was found outside a supermarket a short time later.
A family friend said the nine-year-old girl was “shocked” but “so, so happy” to be back with her mother.
A nine-year-old girl was found Friday with her hands bound by zip ties outside an IGA in Port Kennedy (above) after getting into a stranger’s car
A concerned parent saw the young girl get a silver car at about 8:45am on Friday while she was going to school (pictured, the IGA where the girl was found)
The girl’s mother shared a desperate plea online following news of her alleged abduction, writing: “Someone has taken [my daughter] from school’.
She was seen outside at 8:25 am being picked up by a man in a grey/silver car [the primary school] in Warnbro.”
The little girl was found alone outside an IGA in nearby Port Kennedy a short time later.
Det-Insp Johnson said staff saw her “in distress and contacted police.”
“Shortly afterwards, police from a number of different units swarmed the Rockingham area and located a man in his 30s and what we believe is the vehicle used to take the child,” he said.
Witnesses told The Western Australian the girl’s hands were tied with zippers.
Employee Alicia Janse Van Vuuren said the girl was taken from the small shopping center by ambulance.
“We saw her come out of the IGA and see her being taken into the ambulance,” she said.
‘We were shocked, she looked small. She cried and was sad.
“At first I thought she had lost her mother, but she had no shoes on which I thought was worrying.”
Another witness said they saw police collect bags of evidence before leaving around 5:40 pm.
Forensic officers were also seen at a bushland location believed to be related to the alleged kidnapping.
WA police have released footage of the dramatic moment when officers arrested a man in his 30s in what is believed to be the car in which the child was taken.
The man, dressed in a highly visible work uniform, leaned against a silver ute as officers announced over the radio that they had a “suspect in custody.”
As of 11 p.m. Friday night, no charges have been filed in connection with the case.
The nine-year-old girl was taken to Perth Children’s Hospital for a medical assessment with her family there for support.
She will later be interviewed by specialist children’s workers to help police better understand what happened.
Det-Insp Johnson said: “This is probably one of the most serious things that could happen, a young child going missing, one of the most vulnerable people in our society.”
“It was a good response for most of the subway [police] there was a large contingent of police on the way to get here – a quick arrest squad, a child abuse squad, Rockingham detectives.’
WA Police have (above) arrested a man in his 30s who they believe was driving the car they believe the girl was taken
As of 11 p.m. Friday evening, no charges have been filed in connection with the case (pictured, the man’s arrest)
He also praised the concerned parent who reported the strange sighting.
“That’s probably one of the main reasons why this was resolved — a parent noticing something was amiss, seeing a child get into a car when they’re almost at school and reporting it right away — it’s paramount,” he said.
“It’s one of those things that parents need to have that hard conversation with kids about strange danger and talk to someone or go with someone or do something online.”
It is clear that the school did not inform the parents of the incident until the children are picked up.
Students went home with a note promising that “support staff” would be available on Monday.