PHOENIX – An Amber Alert has been issued for a young girl who was abducted by a stranger from a North Phoenix apartment complex on Christmas Day.
Police say the 5-year-old girl was taken from the Saddleback Mountain Apartments in the 12400 block of N. 19th Avenue at approximately 2:15 p.m.
The little girl and her two sisters, ages 7 and 9, were playing outside when a man parked his truck in the parking lot next to where the girls were playing. He grabbed the 7-year-old and took a picture of her, attempting to pull her pants down. He then grabbed her, put her in his truck and sped off, hitting a parked car in the process. One of the sisters ran to a neighbor's apartment, and that neighbor called 911.
The girls are living with an aunt -- who has legal custody of them -- and the aunt's boyfriend in an apartment at the complex. Their parents live separately out of state.
The young victim is white, approximately 4 feet tall and 50 pounds, with shoulder-length red hair and freckles. She was wearing a pink shirt, blue stretch pants and pink and white checkered shoes.
The suspect is a 30- to 40-year-old white male with blond or gray hair, 5 feet 8 to 5 feet 9 inches tall, 180-190 pounds, wearing a gray shirt and peach knee-length shorts.
He was driving a newer model gold/brown four-door pickup, possibly a Ford Ranger, with an AZ license plate similar to 3HG377 or 3HG774N or 3HJ377. The truck may have had a ladder rack that goes from the front to the back, a toolbox in the back, and may have some damage to the front driver's side. He was seen leaving southbound on 19th Avenue.
Police say they have found surveillance video of the truck leaving the apartment complex parking lot with the girl inside.
If you have seen either the little girl or the suspect, call 911.
For more information, go to AZAmberAlert.org, MissingKids.com,or AmberAlert.com.
