Authorities arrested a man who is suspected of committing the felony sexual battery and attempted kidnapping of an 11-year-old girl in Wilmington.
The man was identified as 30-year-old Jose Jaime of Hawthrone, the Los Angeles Police Department said.
Jaime was arrested after detectives served a search warrant at his Hawthorne home.
The suspect was booked into the LA County jail with a bail set at $1,000,000.
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The young victim was walking near M Street and Gulf Avenue in Wilmington Monday afternoon when Jaime approached her from behind, fondled her chest and tried to kidnap her.
But the suspect ran away in his car when people nearby intervened.
“Hey, just leave her alone,” a neighbor was heard, scaring off Jaime in security video footage.
A neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said Jaime walked away, saying the young girl was his niece.
“I knew better that wasn’t his niece,” the neighbor said, adding she called the police immediately.
“I'm really glad I was able to see it and prevent her from being taken away because the suspect was steps away from being able to take her to his car.”
