A Southwest Side man is accused of trying to abduct a 14-year-old girl this week in Stickney Township.
The girl was walking home from school about 4:45 p.m. Monday in the 5000 block of South Long Avenue — about half a block from her school — when she noticed a silver car following her and driving slowly next to her, prosecutors and the Cook County sheriff’s office said.
The driver, Arley Carrillo Mendez, 39, waved and smiled at the girl, who was on a sidewalk, then drove his car into the opposite lane of traffic to get closer to her and motioned for her to come to his car, prosecutors said.
A witness in another car behind Carrillo Mendez saw him stop his car next to the girl and also thought the girl “appeared uncomfortable,” prosecutors said. The witness drove in front of Carrillo Mendez, honked their horn and told him to leave. He ignored the witness until after they honked again and he left the scene.
Carrillo Mendez was later arrested at his home in the 4900 block of South Laramie Avenue, police said. He was charged with one felony count of child abduction and luring of a minor.
A judge ordered him released on electronic monitoring during a detention hearing Wednesday.
His next court date was scheduled for May 14.
