PALM COAST, Fla. – Flagler County deputies are searching for a man who they say followed a middle-schooler as she was walking home from a Palm Coast school.
It happened Thursday afternoon near the intersection of Pine Lakes Parkway and Brushwood Lane.
Deputies said the eighth-grader walked about a mile from Indian Trails Middle School when a man suddenly came up from behind and grabbed her. She was able to fight him off and run home alerting her parents about what happened. Deputies said the girl wasn't physically hurt.
Flagler County deputies knocked on doors in the area warning neighbors and searching for leads.
Rochelle Stone said her son, Landon, also walks to the middle school with a group of other kids.
"We tell them, 'Don't talk to anybody, go straight to the house,'" said Stone. "It's scary, very scary and makes my heart patter a little bit more."
The girl was able to get a good description of the man. She told deputies he's Caucasian with a large build and 30-40 years old. He also has brown eyes and hair and is possibly balding.
The girl said the man was wearing khaki grey pants and a navy sweater with a zipper and white stripe down the side.
Jennifer Hubbs normally lets her son walk to school, too, but said with a suspect on the loose, she isn't taking any chances.
"I'll probably pick him up because they haven't found whoever it is," said Hubbs.
Deputies said they were considering a composite sketch, but are hoping someone will come forward that may have seen something suspicious.
The Flagler County School District is aware of the incident, but referred security questions to deputies.