Two teenage girls escaped an attempted kidnapping in the North Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles on Sunday after one of them leaped from a moving vehicle, according to police. The incident, which occurred on March 15, 2026, has prompted the LAPD to launch a public appeal for help identifying the suspect, who remained at large as of midweek.
The harrowing ordeal began at approximately 5:20 p.m. near North Hills Park at Columbus Avenue and Acre Street, KTLA reported. A man inside a vehicle approached the two girls — one aged 16 and the other approximately 12 — and offered them a ride. The girls initially declined. But the suspect persisted, following them for several blocks before approaching a third time near Nordhoff Street and Columbus Avenue, at which point the girls accepted.Once the girls were inside the car, the suspect locked the doors, according to CBS Los Angeles. Instead of driving them to their requested destination, he took them to a secluded cul-de-sac — reported to be in the 8900 block of Lemona Avenue — where he allegedly exposed himself and offered the girls drugs, alcohol, and money in exchange for sex acts.
LAPD Detective Efren Gutierrez said the girls were frightened during the incident. He described the cul-de-sac as a residential area that was “secluded enough without enough people or vehicle traffic around,” according to ABC7 Los Angeles. Detective Efren Gutierrez described the cul-de-sac as a residential area that was ‘secluded enough without enough people or vehicle traffic around,’ according to ABC7 Los Angeles.
Despite their fear, the girls managed to escape. One of them got out of the car while it was stationary. The younger girl — identified as 12 years old by most outlets, though ABC7 reported her age as 13 — jumped from the vehicle while it was still in motion. Both girls screamed for help as the suspect sped away from the scene.
Remarkably, neither girl was physically injured in the escape, police confirmed.
The LAPD’s Mission Division is handling the investigation. Police described the suspect as a 21-year-old Hispanic male, approximately 200 pounds, with black hair, brown eyes, and tattoos on both arms. He was last seen driving an older model four-door sedan with an unknown license plate, according to Yahoo News.
Investigators believe the suspect frequents the area where the incident occurred, KFI AM 640 reported, Investigators believe the suspect frequents the area where the incident occurred, KFI AM 640 reported.. The LAPD has asked for the public’s assistance in locating the man.
No arrests had been made and no charges had been filed as of March 18, 2026, according to the International Business Times. The case remains an active investigation, with detectives urging anyone with information to come forward.
The incident has drawn widespread attention across Los Angeles media, with MyNewsLA and multiple television stations broadcasting the suspect’s description in hopes of generating leads.The suspect’s repeated approaches — circling back three times before the girls accepted the ride — demonstrated persistence, according to police reports.
Anyone with information about the suspect or the incident is encouraged to contact the LAPD Mission Division. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Crime Stoppers.
