Police say 8-year-old Fresno, Calif., girl apparently kidnapped from front yard is found safe

Calif. girl found safe after Amber Alert issued

FRESNO, Calif. — Police in California say an 8-year-old Fresno girl who was apparently abducted while playing in her front yard has been found safe.

Police spokesman Jeff Cardinale made the announcement Tuesday morning, about 11 hours after Elisa Cardenas disappeared and triggered a statewide Amber Alert.

Cardinale says authorities have detained a possible suspect.

Authorities say Elisa was playing with six other girls when a stranger approached them and managed to lure her into his truck. The vehicle was caught on surveillance video, and authorities found the suspect in the truck matching the description.

Cardinale says the little girl didn’t appear to have any physical injuries but was being evaluated at the hospital.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — California authorities have issued an Amber Alert for an 8-year-old Fresno girl who was apparently abducted from her front yard while playing with a friend.

The California Highway Patrol says Elisa Cardenas was taken around 8:30 p.m. Monday.

CHP Sgt. Trent Cross tells KRON-TV the girl was taken by a stranger who managed to lure her to his vehicle.

She was last seen wearing blue jeans and a light purple Winnie the Pooh sweat shirt.

Fresno police say the suspect is described as a male around 6-feet tall and in his 20s with a shaved head. He was wearing a white tank top and blue jean shorts and driving an older model, reddish brown Ford two-door pickup truck. The vehicle had a six-inch white stripe on it.

Information from: KRON-TV