Detectives said Saturday they are searching for 30-year-old Tobias Dustin Summers, a transient whose criminal history dates back to 2002.
On Saturday night, investigators found a car registered to Summers in a Woodland Hills neighborhood. A neighbor said she saw two people park the red Pontiac there Thursday morning.
"When I went to go to my car I saw this red car pass me and then stopped a little bit further, then when I came back from work, 2 o'clock, I saw this car parked here. It was unusual because we've never had a car like that park here," the neighbor said.
The girl was reported missing from her home in the 8000 block of Oakdale Avenue around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday after the girl's mother noticed her bed empty. Authorities said the girl's mother had last seen her when the girl went to bed about 1 a.m.
"We have no information that the family knew this individual or that the individual knew any members of the family," LAPD Deputy Chief Kirk Albanese said in an afternoon press conference.
Police first said they were searching for two suspects in the case but are now focusing on finding Summers.
The girl was found in the afternoon after she was dropped off at Kaiser Hospital at De Soto Avenue and Burbank Boulevard. She walked from there to a Starbucks at Canoga Avenue and Oxnard Street, where she was spotted by a passerby about 2:45 p.m. The passerby flagged down a passing LAPD sergeant.
Investigators interviewed the girl who had some facial bruising and lacerations when she was found, but appeared OK otherwise physically. The girl told authorities she was held in an abandoned home near her house and later a storage facility, both which were searched by police.
Summers was described as a white male about 6 feet tall and weighing around 160 pounds. He has closely-cropped blond hair and has large tattoos of a flaming skeleton face and a woman on his right arm. Police said he is known to frequent the North Hollywood area.
Summers' criminal history includes robbery, kidnapping, assault and battery, explosives possession, grand theft auto and petty theft. Four years ago he was arrested for investigation of battery involving child annoyance. He was most recently released from prison in July 2012 and placed under the supervision of probation officials. He was jailed briefly in January for a probation violation. He is not a registered sex offender.
The FBI and about 40 LAPD detectives are involved in the investigation. They're hoping tips from the public will help them capture Summers.
The investigation is ongoing. Authorities urge anyone with information on the suspect or the case to call the LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division tip line at (213) 486-6890 or Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS.
