Child safe after alleged abduction while walking to school in Perth
A nine-year-old girl has been left distressed after allegedly being lured into a ute during an almost hour-long abduction in Perth's south this morning.
The girl was walking to school when she was "picked up in an unknown vehicle" by a man in his 30s at 8.45am.
Acting Detective Inspector Scott Johnson said a parent saw the child getting into the vehicle, thought it was suspicious and immediately reported it to the school.
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Police swarm on a ute to arrest a man after a girl was allegedly lured into the vehicle on her way to school. Nine
The girl's mother was notified and she quickly took to social media to ask the community for their help.
"Someone has taken [my daughter] from school!" the mother wrote, with a plea for people in the area to keep an eye out.
Police swarmed the suburb to search for the car.
A short time later, the girl was found outside a supermarket in Port Kennedy.
Security footage shows a ute pull into a park behind an IGA before the girl got out and ran for help.
"Horrible, she was so sad, I just wanted to wrap her up," witnesses said.
"She was so little."
A short time later, the child was located outside a supermarket in Port Kennedy. 9News
The girl was taken to Perth Children's Hospital.
Within minutes police had found the ute and arrested a man in his 30s.
Police said the child remains in hospital in an "understandably distressed" state with her family by her side.
One relative said the family was strong and "they will get through this".
Investigations are ongoing.
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