Girls from Livonia flee danger from strangers, police arrest suspect with arrest warrant

LIVONIA, Mich. (FOX 2) – Two teenage girls are home safely after they say a man approached them earlier this week.

The two children experienced a terrible Sunday evening for a couple who were friends. The mother was also scared, but was grateful that the girls were literally quick on their feet

“I am so proud of these girls. So proud of them for having the foresight to do this,” said the woman who helped them.

This Livonia mother praised the courage of two of her daughter’s friends who recently ran to her home for help.

“Sunday night was looking pretty ugly outside, it was rainy and cold, and suddenly there was a knock on my front door,” she said.

Her frantic stomping caused the woman to run for the door.

“Hearing a noise like that and it got dark and it was raining and it was cold and yeah, I mean, it just gave me goosebumps,” she said. “I’m like, ‘What on earth. Who comes here?’ It makes no sense. It was around 6 p.m.

She says they were her daughter’s friends, a 12- and 13-year-old.

“They were kind of hysterical. They said there was a white van marked ‘Fluid-something’ and Oregon license plates. The guy got out and asked for her phone number,” she said.

The mother says it happened near Seven Mile Road and Loveland and they believed the man was some kind of delivery driver.

She says her sons and husband went looking for him while she called the police

“I immediately called 911,” she said. “And then she called her mother and said, ‘The police are coming.’ and she says, ‘I’m going to pick her up now.'”

She says within minutes the police arrived and had him arrested.

“He was out of the car and handcuffed so quickly I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “And they just said he’s a really bad guy and it’s so good that he’s off the streets. Macomb really wants him bad, there are a lot of warrants out for his arrest.”

FOX 2 reached out to Missing in Michigan, an organization that deals with such cases.

They praised the girls’ efforts, saying in a statement: “Adults know better than to ask children for directions or information – be aware that asking for help is inappropriate.”

It is recommended to “talk to your children about a safety plan” and run them through scenarios of what to do in the same situation. If this happens, be sure to contact local law enforcement. Even if you are not sure about the intent – It might be of interest and you should better report it.

Luckily, in this case, the friends are safe at home. The mother hopes that everyone will learn from her courage.

“It’s scary because it gets darker earlier,” she said. “And you know, my daughter walks home from the bus stop alone, and you know, I hope she does, I pray that she does exactly the same thing those girls did.”

The mother emphasized that this is a lesson for everyone. She recommends staying alert and aware of your surroundings at all times.