Chicago Man Arrested for Attempted Kidnapping of High School Student
A Chicago man has been taken into custody on charges of attempted kidnapping after allegedly trying to abduct a 15-year-old girl in front of Little Village Lawndale High School on Wednesday morning.
The incident unfolded at approximately 9:30 a.m. as the girl was entering the school premises located at 3120 South Kostner.
According to a statement from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Ulicer Oviedo-Vasquez drove his 2012 Ford Focus into the school parking lot in the wrong direction, catching the attention of a security guard. He engaged in conversation with the girl from his car before getting out and approaching her, the statement revealed.
Despite the girl ignoring him, Oviedo-Vasquez allegedly demanded that she accompany him, forcefully grabbing her arm and attempting to pull her towards his vehicle.
The girl put up a fight, pushing him away and falling to the ground while calling out for help. Two school security guards intervened, causing Oviedo-Vasquez to let go of her and flee in his car. One of the guards pursued him in a separate vehicle and managed to capture a photo of Oviedo-Vasquez’s license plate about half a mile away.
Providing the photo and a description of Oviedo-Vasquez to the authorities, the guard helped in locating and apprehending him approximately 20 minutes later.
During his arrest, Oviedo-Vasquez reportedly confessed that he targeted the girl because her brother owed him money. However, the victim, who was unharmed and did not require medical attention, claimed she had no prior acquaintance with him. The entire incident was recorded on the school’s surveillance footage.
Following the disturbing episode, Judge Ankur Srivastava ordered Oviedo-Vasquez to be held without bond, denouncing the crime as “brazen and bold.”
