Salinas police investigate after child reportedly pulled away by unknown male

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) Salinas police say they are investigating what they say is a "suspicious incident" that happened Wednesday.

Police say at around 3:30 p.m., a 10-year-old was playing in the greenbelt area of an apartment complex on Rico Street with her father when he briefly went inside to get the rest of the siblings.

While her father was gone, police said a male approached the child, pulled her arm behind her back and started pulling her backwards with him.

The suspect pulled her about 100 to 150 feet before she started yelling, according to police, and he let her go. The child ran to the apartment to get her father and did not see which way the suspect went. When they came out, he was gone.

The suspect is described as a male who is about 18 years old. His race is unknown and he did not have facial hair or glasses. He is described as wearing a new gray hoodie cinched around his face, blue jeans and old, possibly ripped, black and white shoes. He did not speak during the incident.

Police are asking community members to have a calm, age-appropriate conversation with their children about strangers and avoiding dangers.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police at 831-758-7321.