12-Year-Old Heiress to Folger Fortune Target of S.F. Kidnaper

Police Saturday searched for a man who tried to kidnap 12-year-old Abiah Folger, heir to the Folger Coffee Co. fortune, as she stepped off a school bus.

Despite the attempted kidnaping, the parents and police described the incident as a random attack and believe the man did not know about the girl’s connection to the Folger family.

The girl’s mother, Barbara Folger, said by telephone that her daughter is “fine” and that the family received no threats before the kidnap attempt. She added that she does not believe her daughter was targeted because she is a Folger.

The abduction try occurred at 5:05 p.m. Friday when the girl was crossing a street near her Pacific Heights home. A man rushed toward her on foot and tried to grab her, said Officer Greg Ovanessian.

“She saw a man who looked scary to her. At first she didn’t think anything,” said Ovanessian. “As she finished crossing the street, he bolted right up to her looking directly at her and had his arms out in an effort to grab her or sweep her off her feet.” .

The girl began screaming and scared the attacker away, Ovanessian said. She then ran to the home of some family friends several doors from the intersection and they let her inside and called the police, he said.

Barbara Folger responded “I’m sure it’s not” when asked whether the girl’s family status was behind the attack. Neither Barbara Folger nor her husband, Peter M. Folger, would comment further on the incident.

The girl said the suspect had a “pot belly” and short black hair in a bowl cut, according to Ovanessian said. He was wearing a black baseball or varsity jacket with white stripes on the collar and cuffs and snaps in front.