Search for kidnapping suspects who approached girls on their way to school
AUSTIN, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - The Austin Police Department is asking for the public's assistance in identifying two kidnapping suspects who attempted to abduct teenage girls on their way to school in May.
"As long as these suspects are at large there's always a danger of this happening again or to other students," said Det. Valentin De Los Santos with the Austin Police Department Child Abuse Unit.
According to police, the suspects kidnapped a 15-year-old girl on her way to school around 8 a.m. on Thursday, May 23 and tried to coerce her into having sex before she escaped from the vehicle. Prior to this, the suspects approached a 17-year-old girl on her way to school and propositioned her for sex.
Both incidents happened near the intersection of East William Cannon Drive and Elm Creek Drive in South Austin, according to the Austin Police Department. The police department only has a description available for one of the suspects. The victims were not able to get a good look at the second suspect, as he was in the back seat of the truck.
The driver of the vehicle is described as:
- Hispanic male
- 30-35 years of age
- Medium build
- Medium complexion
- Green eyes
- Thin beard
- Spoke Spanish with a Mexican accent
The suspect vehicle is described as:
Dark gray or brown 2007-2013 GMC Sierra 1500 quad cab with chrome rocker panels (chrome additions to the bottom of the door on the outside), tinted windows and large tires.
A similar vehicle photo is attached. Rocker panels are not pictured in the photos.
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When asked why it took seven weeks before reporting the crime to the public, Det. De Los Santos said, "For this investigation, information comes in at different times. At the initial, we didn't believe it was right to put out information because we didn't have a lot of information at that time. So, now that we have more information and the investigation is still ongoing, we believe that now is the time to ask the public for help in identifying these suspects and suspect vehicle."
Christopher Yanis, who lives in the neighborhood where the kidnapping happened, said he hasn't let his daughter walk alone since he heard about the incident. He feels officers should've warned parents about the crime sooner.
"It's their responsibility to do all that stuff, to let the public know. They work for the public, so we should be safe by them. They should be watching our neighborhoods," Yanis said.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Child Abuse Unit at 512-974-6880, Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS or use the new Crime Stoppers App. You can also submit tips by downloading APD's mobile app, Austin PD, for free on iPhone and Android.