Girl says man tried to kidnap her while walking home near Mount Dora

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A Lake County girl said a man tried to kidnap her while she was walking home from a friend's house Monday afternoon near Mount Dora, Lake County Sheriff’s Office said.

The girl said she was walking along railroad tracks at about 4:15 p.m. on Golden Isle Drive near Tavares Road and West Old U.S. Highway 441 when a man lunged at her, grabbed her wrist and the back of her neck and shouted, "Come on," Lake County Sgt. Fred Jones said.

The girl said she was able to kick the would-be kidnapper, break free from his grip and run back to her friend's house, where she notified her friend's mother and deputies of what happened, Jones said.

Deputies said the girl described the culprit as a light-skinned black man in his late 20s or early 30s, about 6 feet, 2 inches tall with a slender build.

He was wearing a gray tank top, baggy black shorts and a gray knitted cap, investigators said.

"The suspect had one to two days' (worth of) facial hair growth," Jones said. "The suspect has what appears to be a very (distinguishing) birthmark that covered his right shoulder."

Anyone with information about the attempted abduction is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 352-343-2101.

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