A teen girl was rescued from her alleged 61-year-old paedophile kidnapper after she wrote a “help me” sign and waved it at a passerby.
Sixty-one-year-old Steven Robert Sablan has been charged with kidnapping and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, the Department of Justice said on Thursday. He is accused of abducting a 13-year-old girl in San Antonio, Texas, who he then allegedly sexually assaulted and drove to Long Beach, California.
The minor told law enforcement that the suspect had kidnapped her at gunpoint, telling her, “If you don’t get in the car with me, I am going to hurt you.” She was only able to escape once they arrived in Long Beach and Mr Sablan momentarily left her inside his grey Nissan Sentra while he went to a laundromat.
The victim proceeded to write “Help me!” on a piece of paper that she then began waving at people.
Eventually, a witness phoned law enforcement and help arrived at the scene.
The teen was walking alone on 7 July when she was approached by the suspect, according to an indictment for his arrest. Mr Sablan allegedly threatened the victim with a weapon and coerced her to enter his vehicle.
Once she was inside the car, Mr Sablan reportedly began asking her question and at one point, he allegedly told her they could go on a cruise ship together to visit her friend in Australia. The suspect warned her that first “she had to do something for him,” before allegedly sexually assaulting her several times.
During the two following days, Mr Sablan is accused of driving the victim to California and assaulting her on at least two other occasions.
When law enforcement officers responded to the 911 call reporting the victim’s cries for help on 9 July, they found Mr Sablan standing outside the vehicle. They also spotted the victim, who was inside the car and mouthed the word “help” when she saw the police.
Laundromat employee Touch Vong told ABC News that Mr Sablan had asked her where he could grab food just moments before his arrest unfolded.
“I feel it. I have goosebumps,” she said. “They have restaurants here by the laundry but they never open on Sunday, but I don’t know why my mouth opened and told him, ‘Oh, maybe they open [at 11,] you can wait here.”
Ms Vong told the outlet that Mr Sablan’s demeanour changed and he suddenly looked “scared.”
A black BB gun, a “Help me” sign, and a pair of handcuffs were seized from Mr Sablan’s vehicle.
Mr Sablan is expected to appear in court for an arraignment hearing on 31 July.
He would face life in federal prison if convicted of both charges.
