SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego police have arrested a suspect for kidnapping and the sexual battery of a child in the Bay Terraces neighborhood.
It’s a situation that’s caused concern and fear among some parents picking their children from school on Friday afternoon.
“It really scares the hell out of me because I, I have a daughter, and the last thing that you will think that's getting bad happen is at school,” Kent Delgado, a parent, said. “I come to this school every day, picking up my daughter, thinking that, you know, there will be no issues coming over here, and that's really scary.”
According to police, a 12-year-old girl was walking home from school on March 3, 2026, on the 2400 block of Dusk Drive, when a man approached her in a vehicle.
SDPD says the man coerced her to get inside the vehicle and drove her around the area for several hours. Adding that he made inappropriate physical contact with her before eventually dropping her off near her home.
“It makes me really uncomfortable, just the thought of that,” a parent named Sonia said.
Officers and detectives were able to identify and arrest the suspect through the use of investigative tools, like SDPD’s Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) system.
“Catching that guy right away is really a good thing, making sure that our kids are always safe,” Delgado said.
35-year-old Delaeno Moorman was taken into custody on March 4, 2026. He has been booked into San Diego County Jail for kidnapping, lewd and lascivious act with a child under 14-years-old, and disorderly conduct/lewd act.
ABC 10News discovered more about Moorman and his previous encounters with law enforcement. He’s currently listed on Megan’s Law for two prior sexual assault convictions in 2012.
San Diego Unified wasn't able to tell me which school the 12-year-old girl attends, but told ABC 10News the student is enrolled in the district. San Diego Unified also said District Police are working with SDPD to ensure there's a safety plan in place for the student.
Following this incident, San Diego Police are reminding parents to tell their children to be mindful of their surroundings, know where they’re going and who they’re talking to.
Something parents say they remind their own children.
“I think it's definitely important to have those conversations and for them to never jump into a stranger's car or approach them or like that. It’s just really crazy what happened,” Sonia said.
Anyone with additional information related to this investigation is encouraged to contact the San Diego Police Department at (619) 531-2000 or contact Crimestoppers at (888) 580-8477.
