Gardena abduction: Police believe suspect is a child predator

GARDENA, Calif. (KABC) -- Police need the public's help finding the suspect who abducted a 2-year-old girl from a Gardena car wash, and they believe they are dealing with a child predator.

At a press conference on Friday, police said the girl was injured, but did not elaborate.

"This is a stranger abduction. This is not a family abduction," said Gardena Police Lt. Steve Prendergast. "The information that we have is that the victim does not know the suspect."

The toddler was with her mother at a self-serve car wash near 149th Street and Western Avenue Thursday just before 5 p.m. when the girl's mother heard her daughter scream "mommy" and then she was gone, Gardena police Chief Ed Medrano said.

Police said she was snatched from the backseat of her mother's car. Two hours later, the victim was found 10 miles away in Cudahy near Santa Ana Street and Atlantic Avenue.

Restaurant owner Konstantino Frousakis says one of his customers spotted the missing girl in a parking lot near his business.

"He glances over there and sees a little baby sitting by herself in the middle of the parking lot with no one around her. He rushes to her aid along with some other owners as well. They call the police department, fire department, everyone comes by and they see a little girl sitting there crying," Frousakis said.

Investigators believe the girl was dropped off by a suspect in a four-door 2008-2012 white Nissan Altima. New video has been released of the Altima believed to be involved in the kidnapping.

The car was seen driving down an alley behind the car wash, and a similar white car was seen in Cudahy where the girl was found.

No further suspect information was available.

Anyone with information on this case is urged to call Gardena police at (310) 323-7911.