According to authorities, the girl said she was attacked while walking her dog in the area of Altamont Park, near North Rockridge Street and West St. Francis Avenue, around 12:30 p.m.
The girl said a man in a white pickup, who was wearing a white ski mask, tried to grab her from behind. She said she passed the truck and turned her head when the truck door slammed behind her, only to see the man coming at her with his arms open.
The man reportedly tried to grab the girl from behind, but she spun around and fought him off by hitting him in the chest. She said her dog then bit the man, and she ran away.
Due to the nature of the incident, sheriff’s authorities went to Lammersville Unified School District officials Monday, and throughout the district a printed and message was sent to families with children.
Superintendent Dale Hansen said it was best to notify parents as a reminder to keep an eye on their children. The notice told parents to be vigilant of any suspicious activity and to make sure children were not walking alone to or from school.
One parent said she received the notice and took immediate action.
“I was pretty shocked,” parent Jacquie Hagerty said. “I called a family meeting and let them listen to the message. It’s really scary for us as parents, and the more people that know about it — right around the corner from where I live.”
“No more playing outside,” she said. “You think Mountain House is small, just homes, and you don’t think sickos will be coming out here to try and take our children.”
Sheriff’s spokesman Les Garcia said investigators are looking into the incident and ask the public to report anything suspicious in their neighborhood.
“We’re asking for the public’s help,” Garcia said. “If you see something suspicious, call the sheriff’s office, 468-4400. Or, if it’s an emergency, call 911.”
Garcia said investigators are looking into the Dec. 3 incident as well as a reported abduction attempt on Nov. 14 around 1:10 p.m. in Mountain House.
He said in the second incident, a caller reported seeing a man trying to lure a girl into his truck, but deputies could not locate a victim. Now investigators, he said, are seeing if the two incidents may be connected.
That nosy neighbor always looking out the window? Get to know them, chances are they see everything.
Get to actually know your neighbors, as in, like, you know, learn their names.
Stuff like this never happened where I grew up in Illinois, because we all knew each other and looked out for each other.
Californians need to follow Midwestern sensibility and make these tract homes into actual communities.
If you kids can't grab him by the obvious location, just take you fingers or thumb and poke him as hard as you can right in the eyes. That'll disable him and give you the needed time to get away.
I'm not trying to sound like John Wayne here, but god I hate these people who would harm a child, and I would just love the opportunity to beat the living you know what out of them. I hope an arrest is made soon.
Somebody give that dog a bone!