In South California, a new incident representing humanity has come to the limelight where a group of alert and quick-thinking bystanders rescued a kidnapped victim from out-of-state.
With the release of news from Long Beach Department Police, the victim was a 13-year-old girl who had been forcibly taken from a bus stop in San Antonio, Texas. This horrifying and afflicting incident took place on July 6, when the girl drifted into a vehicle at gunpoint.
Miraculously and fortunately on July 9, officers in Long Beach rushed to the scene after getting a call from the bystanders. They located the distressed teen in a parked car, visibly emotional, and holding up a sheet of paper with a written plea “help me” on it.
Some alert and vigilant bystanders spotted her immediately and dialed 911, and their prompt action was the main key to her rescue.
The investigating officials soon traced and apprehended the suspected kidnapper, a 61-year-old man, Steven Robert Sablan. Surprisingly at the time of the rescue moment, Sablan was inside a nearby laundromat washing clothes while the girl devised her clever plan to look for some help.
A black BB gun, the firearm used to kidnap the girl, purposely designed to resemble a semi-automatic pistol, including a pair of handcuffs were discovered in the vehicle.
Sablan was taken into custody and booked on several charges, including kidnapping, lewd, and lascivious acts with a child, and being fugitive from justice. He was granted bail set as $100000 but was later handed over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation on July 11.
As a result of that, Sablan faced a federal grand jury indictment, with several charges leveled against him that includes one count of kidnapping and one count of transportation of a minor with intention of engaging in criminal sexual activity. The Central District of California U.S. Attorney’s Office disclosed this information in a news release. It also stated that the girl was subjected to multiple sexual assaults in a period of three days when she was in Sablan’s custody.
If Sablan is convicted on both federal charges, he may face life imprisonment. And the young victim, who was earlier reported as a runaway and missing person, she was placed in the care of the San Antonio Department of Children and Family Services for her safety and care.
Appreciation has been shared for the good Samaritans, by Wally Hebeish, the Long Beach Chief of Police who took immediate action by calling 911.
“I want to commend our community members for their vigilance and willingness to get involved by calling 9-1-1. This incident highlights the critical role community members play in keeping people safe,” said Hebeish. “I would also like to acknowledge our officers for their swift response and actions which led to getting this victim to safety” in conformity with CBS News.
This incident is similar to the one that occurred in South Carolina the previous month, where another alleged kidnapping victim was saved by a police officer when he noticed her silent mouthing “help me” during a traffic stop in North Myrtle Beach.
A similar incident unfolded in South Carolina last month. An alleged kidnapping victim was rescued after a police officer saw her mouth “help me” during a traffic stop in North Myrtle Beach.
A federal grand jury today indicted a Texas man who allegedly kidnapped a 13-year-old girl at gunpoint in Texas, drove her to California, and sexually assaulted her multiple times before his arrest in Long Beach last week.
Steven Robert Sablan, 61, of Cleburne, Texas, is charged with one count of kidnapping and one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. His arraignment is scheduled for July 31 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
