Man Tries To Walk Away With Child At North County Beach

ENCINITAS, CA — Authorities are searching for a man who attempted to walk away with a 5-year-old girl at Moonlight State Beach in Encinitas.

The unidentified man took the girl's hand and tried to walk away at 4 p.m. Sunday at the beach in the 400 block of West B Street, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

The child's mother grabbed her daughter's hand and yelled at the man, who left the area, Sgt. Heather Bruton said. The child was not hurt.

The man was described as white, in his mid-30s, 5 feet, 5 inches tall and 160 pounds. He had short or buzz-cut blond hair and was only wearing gray sweatpants and no shirt or shoes.