Crime & Safety

Attempted Abduction Left Girl Unable to Recognize Parents

Orland Hills police looking for two men who attacked a 12-year-old girl Monday afternoon after following her as she stepped off a school bus.

First post: 1:30 p.m. Oct. 29

Police are looking for two men who tried to pull a 12-year-old girl into their car and hit her several times in the head during the attack.

The girl stepped off a school bus at 169th Street and 88th Avenue around 3:30 p.m. Monday, and called 911 to report that she saw a man following her, according to a release from the Orland Hills Police Department. The call was disconnected, but the girl had told dispatchers her location, according to the release.

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Officers found her lying on the ground near the area. Police said she was so traumatized that she didn’t recognize or respond to her parents initially.

The girl told officers she tried running away from the man she saw following her, but he grabbed her and tried pulling her into a red car driven by another man. Both men were wearing ski masks at the time.

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The girl struggled with the man who grabbed her, during which he hit her several times and struck her head several times into a nearby tree, according to the release.

VIDEO UPDATE, Oct. 30: Brother says his sister still can't recognize people.

The attacker was described as:

  • white man
  • late teens early 20s
  • wearing a black ski mask, gloves, a black jacket and tennis shoes

The girl was unable to see the driver, other than that he was wearing a ski mask as well.

The girl was taken to Palos Community Hospital and then was transferred later to Hope Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn, where she is still being treated as of Tuesday afternoon.

Anyone with information on the incident and/or the attackers should contact the Orland Hills Police Department at 708-349-4434.

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