Authorities were searching for a man in the reported abduction of a young girl from her elementary school in San Bernardino on Thursday, police said.
The girl told police she was approached by a man and forced into his truck near Verde Monte Elementary School. She was then driven to an unspecified location where the man forced her to take off her clothes and fondled her, according to the San Bernardino Police Department.
The man then had the girl put her clothes back on and drove to a location near an apartment building on Palm Avenue, police said.
The man later got out of the vehicle and the girl was then able to escape to the apartment complex to get help.
Parents were shocked to learn about the brazen child abduction.
"It's really scary, but I always tell my kids to be careful with a stranger and we always pray before go to school," said Marianna Burba.
The man was described as a Hispanic, about 6 foot 2 inches tall and weighed about 225 pounds. He had brown eyes, wore black clothes and a black ski mask.
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His vehicle was described as a black, early 1990s Toyota pickup truck with an extended cab.
Anyone with information was asked to call the San Bernardino Police Department at 909-384-7272.
Annette Arreola, Corey Arvin and Joe Studley contributed to this report.
