'Help Me!' Girl Flashes Desperate Sign After Alleged Kidnapping and Good Samaritans Jump Into Action

A brave girl’s decision to write “Help me” on a sign and flash it to passersby led to the teen’s dramatic rescue.

The 13-year-old was found in California days after she was reportedly taken from a Texas road. It was a positive conclusion to a case that could have ended quite differently.

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“If you don’t get in the car with me, I am going to hurt you,” suspect Steven Robert Sablan allegedly told the girl July 6, CNN reported.

Additional details in a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Central District of California are jarring and deeply disturbing.

“According to the indictment and an affidavit previously filed with a criminal complaint in this matter, on July 6 in San Antonio, the victim was walking down a street when Sablan, driving a gray Nissan Sentra, approached her,” the release reads. “Sablan allegedly raised a black handgun to his side and told the victim to get in the car.”

The accused, 61, has been detained and faces federal kidnapping charges.

The brave teenager — who reportedly faced a traumatic time throughout the ordeal, including sexual assault — took a bold step when Sablan went to a laundromat to wash their clothing.

According to CNN, she flashed a sign that read “Help me” as she sat inside his vehicle.

That sign led someone to call 911, and police quickly came to the scene. The girl mouthed “Help” from inside the car once officers arrived and she was promptly rescued.

While the teen is most certainly heroic, the good Samaritans who took quick action to call authorities also deserve praise — something Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish made clear.

“I want to commend our community members for their vigilance and willingness to get involved by calling 911,” he told CBS News. “This incident highlights the critical role community members play in keeping people safe.”

The teenager has since reportedly been reunited with her family. Sablan, who is set to be arraigned July 31, could face life in prison if convicted.

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