Sketch released in 13-year-old's kidnapping, sexual assault

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Police have released a sketch of a man believed to have kidnapped a boy last month.

According to Houston police, the 13-year-old boy was walking westbound on Tidwell Road about 8:15am on Oct. 18.

As the boy tried to cross the street, a white van stopped next to him and the driver asked the boy if he needed a ride to school.

Investigators said the boy believed the van was one that picked up children to go to school. The boy got into the front passenger seat. The driver then inappropriately touched the boy and offered him money to perform sexual acts.

When the boy resisted, the man then tried to force the boy to touch his lap.

When the van stopped at a red light, the boy rolled down the window, opened the door from the outside and flee from the vehicle, police say.

The man is described as a black male, about 40 to 50 years of age, with a medium build, brown eyes, bald and no facial hair. The man is believed to have distinctive loose skin under his chin. He was last seen wearing navy blue cargo shorts and a black Polo shirt.

We talked to parents and adults in the area like Joe Lopez, who says his niece will receive a repeat lesson in avoiding strangers this weekend.

"It's strange nowadays, you can't trust nobody. You send your kids off to school walking and you can't do that no more, not like you could back in the day," said Lopez.

Anyone with information about the case was asked to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.