Girl allegedly abducted from Gardena car wash found safe in Cudahy

GARDENA, Calif. (KABC) -- Police are searching for a suspect in a white Nissan Altima who allegedly kidnapped a 2-year-old girl from a car wash in Gardena Thursday afternoon and dropped her off more than 10 miles away in Cudahy about two hours later.

The child disappeared from her mother's sight at a self-serve car wash near 149th Street and Western Avenue at about 4:55 p.m.

The girl's mother heard her daughter scream "mommy" and then she was gone, according to Gardena police Chief Ed Medrano.

She was dropped off near Santa Ana Street and Atlantic Avenue in Cudahy at about 7:15 p.m., police said. Investigators believe she was taken and dropped off by a suspect in a four-door 2008-2012 white Nissan Altima.

The case is now being treated as a child abduction. No suspect information was immediately available.

Lopez was taken to a hospital to be treated for unspecified injuries. Preliminary examination results indicated she seemed to be in OK condition but the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information on this case is urged to call 911 or Gardena police at (310) 217-9686.

City News Service contributed to this report.