An attempted abduction of an 8-year-old Korean American girl at a Pilot gas station in Clay County, Indiana, has raised concern in the local community.
According to WTWO, the incident occurred near Exit 23 on Interstate 70. The family was eating inside a McDonald’s and Subway when a man entered the store with a cat on a leash and approached the girl.
The man allegedly tried to lure her outside by saying, “Let’s go see my truck.” The child began to follow, but her mother quickly noticed and intervened. The suspect fled the scene before the family could stop him.
The girl’s aunt, Elizabeth Choi, said the family was “only a moment away from losing her” and added that the suspect appeared to be driving a semi-truck.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the case and has urged parents to keep children within sight at gas stations, rest stops, and other unfamiliar locations.
WTWO reported the incident on October 20.
BY HANKIL KANG [kang.hankil@koreadaily.com]
