A routine bike ride turned terrifying near a Natomas home Wednesday afternoon when, according to the girl's mother, a masked man suddenly jumped out from behind a utility box and went after her child. The family says they are shaken, and Sacramento police have opened an investigation into the report.
What police say
The girl's mother told CBS Sacramento that the man had been crouched behind a utility box and then leapt out and attacked the child while she was riding her bicycle. Sacramento police are investigating the report, the station said.
Natomas context
Residents say the scare feels uncomfortably familiar. It echoes a string of prowling and sexual-battery reports in Natomas last fall that involved suspects hiding or covering their faces, which pushed local leaders and the school district to urge extra vigilance, as reported by KCRA. That history has left neighbors especially on edge whenever a new incident surfaces. Police have not publicly released a full suspect description beyond the mother's account that the attacker was masked.
How to help
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or who has relevant doorbell, dash-cam or other video, is asked to contact the Sacramento Police Department's non-emergency line at 916-808-5471 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at 916-443-4357. Call 9-1-1 if the suspect is still in the area. The city's police information page also encourages residents to register security cameras to help with investigations, according to the Sacramento Police Department.
Investigators' request
Detectives are reviewing available footage and family accounts as they work to corroborate the mother's report; it was not immediately clear whether anyone had been detained, the station reported. This story will be updated as officials release additional details.
