CHULA VISTA, Calif. - A South Bay mom is upset and has a warning for parents after a terrifying encounter with a stranger left her daughter breathless and racing to get away.
By the time 11-year-old Danielle got home, she had a look that made her mother's heart stop.
"She felt creeped out. She was out of breath and startled," said Jennifer.
Jennifer said Danielle wanted to walk the dog on Monday around 5 p.m. in their Eastlake neighborhood.
"She convinced me it would be OK; just going to the park and back," said Jennifer.
Jennifer said when Danielle got to the entrance of the busy Eastlake Little League lot, a silver car driven by a middle-aged man pulled up next to her, ready to turn into the parking lot.
"The driver raised his arm and waved at her, yelled at her to go," said Jennifer.
Danielle told her mom told Jennifer she started across the sidewalk.
"She said she was almost in the middle when he stepped on the gas, and almost hit her … maybe a couple inches," said Jennifer.
Danielle told her mom she hurried across the road, when, according to Jennifer, "The driver put it in park and proceeded to come after my daughter, came straight at her."
According to Danielle, the man was yelling something and started chasing after her, sending her running home.
"You don't chase a child down. You don't tell a child to cross the street, and then step on the gas. I don't know what his intentions were, but it doesn't make sense," said Jennifer.
An upset Jennifer posted details of the incident on Facebook.
"[I] wanted to get the word out. She is very outgoing. For her to be scared by someone, something wasn't right. It's unnerving. I feel as a parent I should have been there. I shouldn't have been so trusting," said Jennifer.
Jennifer pointed to other recent incidents.
In mid-August, a stranger asked a boy to walk with him near a Chula Vista park near Bonita Vista Middle School, sparking community concern.
Jennifer fears the driver in Danielle's encounter could have been planning to grab a child.
"I just want to make sure that no child goes home and tells their parents what my child just told me," said Jennifer.
Jennifer said she called police, but she was told there was no evidence of a crime.
Chula Vista police say they haven't received any reports of similar incidents.
Jennifer said her daughter described the man as being in his 40s or 50s, with short, dark brown hair. He was wearing a grey baseball shirt -- possibly a Dodgers jersey -- and driving a 4-door sedan.
