Police investigating attempted abduction attempt of 12-year-old near Lithonia

Parents in Lithonia are keeping close watch of their kids after a 12-year-old told police a man grabbed him by the arm and tried to take him.

It happened Thursday morning around 8 a.m. as the boy was walking to the bus stop on Latchwood Road and Post Ridge near Lithonia.

“For someone that’s an outsider to come here and approach my son and violate our space and put a hand on him that’s very disturbing to me,” the boy’s mother, Nikisha Jones-Pate told FOX 5 News.

The boy said a sedan pulled up, a man came out and yanked him by the arm, leaving a bruise.

Soon after, the 6th grader broke free and the suspect took off after another car drove by.

“But before he jumped in the car,” Jones-Pate said. “He told my son, ‘I’ll be back.’”

BOY SAYS MAN TRIED TO GRAB HIM WALKING TO BUS STOP, POLICE INVESTIGATING

The boy said no one was around to see the kidnapping attempt.

Instead of running home after the driver sped off, the 12-year-old waited for the bus and went to his Dekalb County school.

“The officers asked him why did he do that. He said because he didn’t want the perpetrator to know where he stayed,” the boy’s mother explained.

Dekalb County Schools told FOX 5 News the student was offered counseling.

“The safety and well-being of our students is a top priority for our district. The school provides wraparound services and counseling even when incidents do not occur on our campuses, particularly traumatic occurrences. The DCSD social worker did meet with the student to provide resources,” according to Dekalb schools.

Investigators said it’s unclear what color the car was, but they believe a white man was driving the small sedan.

Right now, police are asking for any surveillance video that could clear up questions.

Anyone who saw something is asked to call the police.