Fifth grader reports attempted abduction in SW Houston

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- We have a warning for parents, especially if your children walk to school. A fifth grader says a man tried to abduct her in southwest Houston.

She was on her way to Grissom Elementary in southwest Houston.

Jaeda Rountree was on Summerlyn Drive walking to school Thursday morning when she says a man in a black SUV pulled up beside her.

"He just said come here," she tells Eyewitness News.

Then she said things got scary.

"I didn't pay any attention and I just walked faster. Then he got out the car and grabbed me by my backpack. That's when I slipped the backpack off and ran," Rountree said.

She ran into the Summerlyn neighborhood, made it to school and told her principal what happened. The principal called her mother.

"She said Jaeda arrived muddy with a hurt knee, and said that a man tried to grab her," says Tanisha Thomas.

Thomas left work, met with the principal at the school, took Jaeda home and called the 911 around noon. More than hour later, she says no officer had shown up so she and a neighbor called again.

"The dispatcher said there had been a report made and they were going to send an officer out when an officer was available, but unfortunately since it was close to 2:00, now it's not considered an emergency because the crime is not in progress."

She tells us she was outraged.

"He was trying to abduct my daughter. Especially with human trafficking going on, I can't understand why it wouldn't be a priority," Thomas says.

HPD told us an officer was dispatched at 3:30pm. Thomas says one showed up around 4pm and took their information. The Houston Emergency Center and HPD are investigating Thomas' accusations.

HPD says they have no leads on this alleged suspect.

Jaeda says the man was driving a black SUV. He was wearing a baby blue shirt and jeans, looked to be in his mid 40's, and was bald at the top with hair around the sides.