Man jailed for allegedly trying to kidnap 4-year-old Fresno girl
A Fresno man was arrested Monday morning after Fresno County sheriff’s deputies say he tried to lure a 4-year-old girl away from her grandmother several times with a keychain.
Sheriff’s spokesman Tony Botti said Juan Rocha Molina, 31, faces charges of attempted kidnapping and vehicle theft stemming from the incident.
Molina allegedly approached the girl in the 3000 block of North Cornelia Avenue around 8:30 a.m. The girl’s grandmother intervened when Molina attempted to lure her with a keychain as a toy, Botti said. Molina left but returned a short time later and tried to kidnap the girl again. Her grandmother ushered her inside, locked the doors and called 911.
Deputies arrived around 9 a.m. They found Molina parked in a nearby church parking lot. He was arrested, and investigators soon found out that his vehicle was reported stolen out of Fresno over the weekend.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 559-600-3111.
Rory Appleton: 559-441-6015, @RoryDoesPhonics
This story was originally published October 24, 2016 at 4:04 PM with the headline "Man jailed for allegedly trying to kidnap 4-year-old Fresno girl."