NORTH OGDEN, Utah — A 9-year-old girl was able to stop a man from kidnapping her while she walked near a North Ogden church on Thursday.
Police said the kidnapping attempt happened around 3 p.m. outside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building at 626 East 2600 North.
Jazelle Lefever was walking to meet her father at the church after leaving North Ogden Elementary school when a man wearing all black clothing and a surgical mask said he could help her find her family.
"I was walking and this dude was waving at me, and he, like, to get my attention. So he’s like, 'Are you lost? Do you know here you are?,' and I said 'No, I’m not lost, I just kind of don’t know where my dad is,” Jazelle explained.
The suspect then grabbed her arm while opening the door of his own vehicle, which is when Jazelle said she defended herself.
"He was pulling my arm, and there was like boxes and he kind of smelled like cigarettes a little. So I kicked him in the shin and I started running off to this house."
Right after his daughter's incident with the man, her father showed up.
"Once I pulled up in the church parking lot I seen her running and crying, running up to a house and I honked," said Dustin Lefevre. "She turned around and got in, I was really frantic and didn’t know what to do."
Other than being scared, Dustin was proud of his young daughter.
"She’s strong physically, so I knew he couldn’t pull her in the car. I can barely pull her when I try, and by her kicking and running, I just call her my hero. I’m really proud of her."
The Lefevre's ended up heading directly to the North Ogden police station.
Police said the suspect was seen leaving eastbound on 2600 North. He's described as being between 20-30 years old and drove a black "sporty type" car with an unknown sticker in the rear window.
"I was shaking and I was like still kind of crying because like, I was, I’m going to be scarred for my life now, because that was like scary and stuff like that," said Jazelle.
On Friday, the principal of the school, Shirley Passey, sent a note to parents that said a male adult was seen near the playground that morning trying to talk to children in the sandbox.
"[The children] ignored him and told the playground monitor. The police was call (sic) and arrived within minutes. The officers spoke with the male adult and are taking care of the situation," Passey wrote.
