Local News in Brief : Anaheim : Abduction Fears at Preschool Unfounded

When a 4-year-old girl was led from a preschool playground by an unknown teen-age boy Monday, employees feared the worse--an abduction.

Workers at Gerber Children’s Center called police about 12:30 p.m. to report that the teen-ager had walked onto the playground and led Nicole Equiarta by the hand to an awaiting Ford Bronco.

Police reacted quickly, and by the end of the day had found their “culprit”--the girl’s mother.

According to Police Lt. John Haradon, the mother “made the mistake of picking up the child and not telling the authorities at the school. She didn’t use real good judgment. She was driving the vehicle and didn’t have her makeup on and said she looked a little ragged. She didn’t want to go onto the playground.” So, Haradon said, she sent her 14-year-old son, who was unknown to the school authorities.

Chris Equiarta, the girl’s father, said he and his wife, Sherry, have been going through divorce proceedings for the last 2 years and have joint custody of the child. Both of them alternately go to the school to drop off and pick up Nicole, he said.