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Man Tries To Lure Girl Walking To Miami School

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The search is on for a man who reportedly tried to lure a 12-year-old girl as she was walking to school in Miami.

Luckily, the girl got away, but now authorities are looking for the man responsible – hoping he does not try that again.

Miami police said it all happened around 7 a.m. Wednesday.

The 12-year-old girl was reportedly walking to school with her sisters, taking the same route they do every day.

Her sisters go to Northwestern High School and that's where they separated near NW 10th Avenue and 71st Street.  The girl then started walking towards her bus stop when a car approached her near NW 67th Street and 7th Avenue and pulled up beside her.

"The vehicle slowed down, rolled his window down and asked her if  she wanted a ride. She ignored him and continued to walk eastbound and as she got to her destination as to where her bus stop was. The black vehicle apparently made a U-Turn and asked her, with money, if she wanted a ride,"said Officer Frederica Burden with Miami Police.

Investigators said the girl pulled out her cell phone and said she was calling the police. She did that and called her mother. The man in the black car took off.

Police said she was a smart girl and they commended her for doing what she did.

The victim and her mother spent the afternoon with a Miami-Dade police sketch artist. Police released the sketch early Wednesday evening.

The suspect has long black hair knotted at the back, a beard but no mustache and was wearing very large sunglasses.

The parent of a Northwestern student says she is extremely alarmed.

"It makes my heart throb. Kids are trying to learn and go to school. There are devious people out there. Why are they trying to take these kids and ruin their lives?" said a mother who only identified herself as Jasmine. "It just makes want to watch my kids more and it's why I pick them up and drop them off at school. I tell them if that is somebody approaches them like this, take pictures and call police and call me."

Her 11-year-old daughter Brianna said, "This makes me feel unsafe and not want to come outside."

Anyone who has information in the case is urged to call Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.

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