The incident occurred as the victim walked home from Fremont High School on Gage Avenue near San Pedro Street at 6:10 p.m. Thursday. The suspect walked up to the girl with a knife and forced her into his van. The LAPD says she was then driven to an alley.
Investigators won't say exactly what happened inside the van, but somehow the girl escaped. That's when Ashley Boins saw her.
"Once I saw her, she didn't have any underwear on, no shoes, no socks, nothing," said Boins.
Boins is credited with rescuing the teen.
"She couldn't scream. Her mouth was tied up. She was running with her hands tied up, her mouth tied up, neck tied up, everything. Just running, no undergarments, nothing on. Scary," she said.
Boins said she jumped into action after seeing the girl run across the alley and into a liquor store. Boins said she smelled gasoline on the girl.
"Drenched, hair soaking wet, like as if a person is just getting out of the shower. It was ridiculous. I had to air out my apartment air out for a whole hour and a half," said Boins.
The LAPD didn't mention flammable liquid.
The suspect is described as having a dark complexion, black hair, brown eyes, 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing about 170 lbs and is between 22 and 33 years old. He was driving a U-Haul van.
"I don't know how she escaped. God was with her, an angel was watching over her, but she got out," said Boins.
Anyone with information about this case was urged to contact LAPD at (822) LAPD-247.
