abduction reported

For the second time in two weeks, a 12-year-old girl was the victim of an attempted abduction near Pacific Middle School.

Around 9 a.m. Oct. 6, the girl, after missing her school bus, was walking east in the 2000 block of South 223rd St. when a two-door green car pulled over. The man inside the vehicle told the girl to get into his car.

When the girl declined and just kept walking, the suspect stopped his car, got out and grabbed her. She fought back, receiving minor scrapes to her arm, and the suspect got back in his car and drove off.

The girl then ran to Pacific Middle School and told the principal, and the Des Moines Police Department was called.

Officers checked the surrounding area for the suspect and his vehicle, but were unable to locate anyone matching the description.

Police Sgt. Steve Wieland said officers are paying special attention to that area during walking times.

"Our security patrols are being stepped up during walking time," added Catherine Carbone Rogers, director of communication and community relations for the Highline School District.

On Sept. 29, while walking to Pacific Middle School in the 12800 block of 24th Ave. S., another 12-year-old girl was grabbed and almost forced into a car before the attacker was scared away by a witness.

No arrests had been made in connection with either attempted abduction by Oct. 7.

"We have some leads that we're following up on and they look pretty good," said Wieland.

A letter has been sent home with the students at Pacific Middle School and Midway Elementary explaining the nature of these attacks.

Wieland encouraged parents to give their children a ride to school if possible, otherwise to make sure that children walk together in pairs.

Children also need to know to yell and scream to get attention if they are confronted by an attacker, he said.

The suspect in the Oct. 6 attempt is described as a Hispanic male who spoke some broken English, but mostly Spanish.

He is 25-30 years old, 6 feet 2 inches tall, with medium build, brown hair and brown eyes, a mustache, silver caps on his upper teeth and a scar on his right cheek.

He was wearing a black t-shirt with a white t-shirt under the black one, a long silver necklace, dark blue jeans and white "Shaq" style basketball shoes. He had a strong odor of cologne.

His car was described as a green smaller (Honda type) two-door vehicle with tinted windows, a loud exhaust, a dent in the right rear, a messy interior and a damaged dashboard.

Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call the Des Moines Police Department at 206-878-3301 or call 9-1-1.