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Sex offender sentenced for kidnapping girl at Signal Hill park

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A registered sex offender was sentenced Wednesday to 12 years in prison for kidnapping an 8-year-old girl who was walking with her family in a park.

Robert Sok, 28, of Long Beach, pleaded no contest to kidnapping the girl and failing to update his sex offender registration annually, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

The girl had been walking ahead of her mother and grandmother at Hillbrook Park in Signal Hill on Jan. 20 when he grabbed her and placed his hand over her mouth, prosecutors said.

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She screamed “Mom, help me!” prompting her mother and grandmother to run after her.

The girl’s grandmother struck Sok two to three times with a water bottle, forcing him to release her.

Soon afterward, he was arrested a few blocks away.

For breaking news in Los Angeles and throughout California, follow @VeronicaRochaLA. She can be reached at veronica.rocha@latimes.com.

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