Girl, 8, Escapes From Abductor After 3 Days

An 8-year-old girl missing for three days made a daring escape from her abductor Saturday, freeing her hands and dashing from his car to the safety of a passing truck, authorities said.

Midsi Sanchez disappeared on the way home from school Thursday. Her hands were restrained in her captor’s vehicle, but she was able to free herself, bolt from the car and flag down the passing driver in Santa Clara, said Anton Morec, a spokesman for the Santa Clara Police Department. The suspected kidnapper has been arrested.

“He pulled up, she jumped up immediately into his vehicle. She told the driver she had been kidnapped and she needed help,” Morec said. “She did all the right things. Her instincts were very good for an 8-year-old.”

The suspect chased her as she ran down the street, but fled when he saw she had reached the driver, said Lt. JoAnn West of the Vallejo Police Department. West said the driver recognized the suspect, Curtis Dean Anderson, 39, who previously served time in Solano County Jail for kidnapping, West said. He also has had previous arrests for weapons violations, she said.

Santa Clara is about 45 miles south of San Francisco and 70 miles southwest of Vallejo, where Midsi lives and was last seen.

Midsi was to be reunited with her parents late Saturday. She was very hungry and ate several hamburgers as police questioned her about her ordeal.