SAN ANTONIO -- A Northeast Side neighborhood is still on watch after a man attacked and tried to kidnap a 12-year-old girl.
The girl's grandpa, Luis Villarreal, became emotional as he spoke to News 4 WOAI's Jacqueline Ortiz.
"We love her very much," said Villarreal.
Villarreal is still caught up in the 'what ifs' of what happened to his young granddaughter, including what if his granddaughter hadn't gotten away from her attacker.
The attack happened around 6:25 a.m. Monday. Bexar County Sheriff's deputies said the girl was walking to her school bus stop at Monte Cristo and Avila when she was attacked.
She told investigators an African American man jumped out from behind some bushes and covered her face with a towel. The little girl fought back, kicking and screaming, and managed to get away. However, she eventually collapsed in front of a neighbor's home.
"She was laying behind the truck, half of her body was on the side walk, the other half was on the grass," the neighbor told News 4 WOAI. "She was on her back when I found her."
The neighbor then called 911.
While the community remains on watch, Judson Independent School District has also called parents to alert them about the attempted kidnapping.
Luis Villarreal said from now on, he will be walking his granddaughter to the bus stop.
"From now on, I think I'm going to have to walk with her, protect her," added Villarreal. "That's all I...That's all I can say."
Before he covered the her face, the little girl saw that her attacker was wearing a gold dragon ring with squiggly lines on his left ring finger.
If you have information about this attack, please immediately call the Bexar County Sheriff's Office at 210-335-6084.
