Middle school student almost kidnapped on way home, police say

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) – A northeast Houston mother is sounding the alarm after her daughter was almost kidnapped on the way home from school.

Ebony Crosby said her 15-year-old daughter had just left Fleming Middle School and was walking down Crane Street when a man approached in a truck.

Police say 68-year-old Dario Gonzalez Mata grabbed the girl, but she broke free.

“I mean, you a grown man, she got on a school uniform shirt. What you want? ‘Cause there’s a difference between ladies of the night and kids over here,” said Crosby.

Crosby said her daughter first ran home but discovered no one was there since she was at the hospital having a mastectomy at the time.

She then ran to the Dollar Plus Store.

“She was hysterical, she was screaming, she was crying,” said store clerk Sherry Thomas.

Thomas said she called police and then went into overdrive trying to gather evidence.

“After I calmed her down to get what she was actually saying, that’s when we started moving in action,” said Thomas. “I had three people moving to go get the license plate number. I had somebody else waiting outside just in case he passed back through to get the plate number.”

Thomas said the truck did, in fact, pass by the store but was gone before anyone could take down the plate.

They lucked out the next day when the truck returned.

Police say Gonzalez Mata’s pants were unzipped and that he had child’s clothing in his truck when he was arrested Saturday afternoon.

The experience has left an indelible mark on her daughter, Crosby says.

“She asked me could she start wearing baggier clothes,” said Crosby. “That’s some (expletive) I told her, that’s not your fault. You can come outside naked if you really wanted to. Nobody had that right to put they hands on you.”