13-Year-Old American Girl Rescued from Kidnapper's Car by Cleverly Sending a "Help Me" Note

A 13-year-old girl who was kidnapped wrote "Help me" on a piece of paper [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

A 13-year-old girl trapped inside a kidnapper's car showed quick thinking by holding up a paper that said 'Help Me' and asking a passerby for rescue, leading to her being saved in the United States.

According to CBS and other broadcasts on the 21st (local time), on the 6th, a 13-year-old girl whose name has not been disclosed was kidnapped by 61-year-old Steven Robert Sablan at a bus stop in San Antonio, Texas.

Sablan approached in a car, pointed a gun at the victim, and threatened her to get into his car. He then took the victim in the car and traveled to California.

The police believe that the victim was sexually assaulted multiple times during this period.

Sablan's crime was uncovered three days later, on the 9th, in Long Beach, California.

Sablan left the girl locked inside a parked car and briefly stepped away. At that time, the girl wrote 'Help Me!' on a scrap of paper and asked passersby for help through the window.

Witnessing this, passersby immediately reported it to the police. According to the BBC, the police who arrived at the scene found the victim inside the car "visibly distressed."

The police soon found and arrested Sablan, who was washing clothes at a nearby laundromat. He was charged with kidnapping a child for the purpose of criminal sexual conduct and other charges.

The police stated, "This case shows how important the role of community members is in protecting people's safety," and added, "We want to express our gratitude to the community members who participated in rescuing the victim by calling 911."

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