Fresno police said Tuesday morning that a young girl who was snatched from the front of an apartment complex while playing with friends Monday night was found safe and a suspect is in custody.
Police made the announcement at about 7:45 a.m. A driver recognized the suspect's vehicle from a statewide Amber Alert that had been issued in the case. The driver was following the pickup and when he saw a little girl's head through the window, he cut off the pickup truck.
Elisa Cardenaz was abducted at about 8:30 p.m, and was last seen wearing a light purple sweater with Winnie the Pooh on the front and light blue jeans, according to the alert.
Elisa was checked out at a hospital and determined to be in good condition. She was reunited with he mother at the hospital.
Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer called the reunion between Elisa and her mother "a highlight" in his career.
The abductor was described as possibly a 25-year-old white or light-skinned Hispanic male who was driving a 1980s or 1990s brown or red Ford pickup truck with a white horizontal pin stripe on the truck's side.
Police have surveillance video images of the pickup and are trying to get the license plate.
Police say the man pulled up in his pickup truck outside the complex and approoached Elisa and a 6-year-old girl. Witnesses yelled at the children to get away from the man but he grabbed Elisa and took off. The girl's mother got into her car and tried to chase the pickup but lost sight of the vehicle.
Fresno police had received reports of a man who dropped his pants and exposed himself to two other young girls just minutes before the abduction was reported.
