Police: Man tried to lure child into minivan at school bus stop in Doral

DORAL, Fla. – Doral police are searching for a man who they said tried to lure a child into a minivan last Friday while the child was waiting for their school bus.

The incident occurred shortly after 6:30 a.m. in the area of Northwest 109th Avenue and 58th Street.

According to authorities, the man pulled up alongside the child and told the child to “get in the car.”

Luckily, the bus driver pulled up simultaneously and was able to take a picture of the vehicle after the child told them what happened, authorities said.

“No reasonable man, in this day and age, would go up to a child that he doesn’t know and tell him to get into a car,” said Rey Valdes, public information officer for the Doral Police Department. “[The bus driver] sensed that something was amiss, and that something was wrong here, so he had the foresight to take a photograph of the vehicle in question.”

Police say a man inside this minivan tried to abduct a child in Doral. (Doral Police Department)

Police said the minivan, which was possibly a Honda, was last seen heading east from the area.

Surveillance cameras were able to capture the minivan, but police said the only description they have of the driver is that he was a white male with short white hair. Police said he was wearing eyeglasses and had a black mask covering his nose and mouth.

“When you look at the totality of the circumstances surrounding in this incident, this is something that is alarming and troubling from the very least,” Valdes said.

Anyone with further information about the incident is asked to call Detective D. Miralles at 305-593-6699. Ext. 2602. Anonymous tips can be made by calling Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

Terrell Forney joined Local 10 News in October 2005 as a general assignment reporter. He was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, but a desire to escape the harsh winters of the north brought him to South Florida.