SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC4) — A man was arrested Tuesday in Salt Lake City for attempting to kidnap a 12-year-old girl as she walked to school.
According to the Salt Lake City Police Department, Jose Arquimides Manzanarez Munoz, 53, attempted to pick up the 12-year-old girl, who was walking to Liberty Elementary School, by asking if she needed a ride and offering her money.
The girl said no and started to walk away, but Munoz reportedly drove his truck in the direction of the girl, possibly to prevent her from leaving the area. The girl said she ran away and reported the incident to a trusted person at her school.
The girl reported the description of the truck and driver, and SLCPD sent it to law enforcement n the city. Officers spotted him near 550 W and 200 S, where he was safely arrested.
SLCPD encouraged parents and guardians to discuss safety planning with children and teens.
Teach your children and teens:
- Never talk to strangers
- If a stranger approaches a child or teen, teach them to say “No!” and run to a safe place to report the incident.
- Use the buddy system
- When possible, encourage children and teens to be with a friend or family member when outside
- Be aware of your surroundings
- Tell children and teens to be aware of their surroundings. Especially when in public, encourage them not to be distracted by personal devices or headphones. These may prevent them from seeing or hearing someone approach them.
- Trust your instincts
- Remind children and teens it is okay for them to trust their feelings. If they find themselves in an uncomfortable situation, they should report it to a trusted adult immediately.
