ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A man in Orlando is facing several charges after authorities shared a video that showed him approach and grab a child on Monday morning.
Vinh Nguyen, 37, is charged with false imprisonment, luring or enticing of a child and battery.
The sheriff's office shared a video it said showed Nguyen approaching the boy in the Azalea Park neighborhood. He's accused of trying to lure the child to his SUV.
The boy was able to get away during the incident, the sheriff's office said.
Nguyen was arrested Tuesday after authorities said a concerned citizen called in a tip.
ABC News affiliate WFTV spoke with a child welfare expert who said the video showed a textbook example of attempted child abduction.
Tomas Laers told WFTV that the first sign is if someone is getting too close. According to WFTV, a report from the sheriff's office said the boy told them the white SUV pulled up, and the driver, later identified as Nguyen, honked and waved at him. The report said he then got out and asked the boy if he wanted a ride to school, WFTV reported.
After the boy said no, Nguyen put his arm around the boy's shoulders and asked him where he was going, according to WFTV. Laers told the outlet Nguyen likely already knew the answer.
“A lot of times the victims are stalked, they know what school they go to,” Lares said.
According to WFTV, after his arrest, Nyguen told authorities he saw the boy about six times before the incident. The sheriff's office also told WFTV it received information that Nguyen offered a 13-year-old boy a ride last year.
Lares advice for parents is to talk to their children and tell them what to do.
“Make a scene, make a scene,” he told WFTV. “It doesn’t matter if you’re wrong. Yell, scream for help, even if it’s somebody asking for money. Fortunately for this child, he got away and said something immediately.”
Authorities believe there could be additional victims and are asking anyone with information to please call Central Florida Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477.
Authorities said Nguyen has several distinctive tattoos, including dragons on his forearms.
