Police: Man tries to abduct 2-year-old from backyard in Tacoma

A man tried to abduct a 2-year-old girl from a backyard Wednesday in Tacoma, police said.

The child was playing with siblings outside shortly before 5 p.m. in the 3100 block of South 17th Street, when the siblings either left for a moment or turned their backs to get a toy, then heard the toddler screaming, police spokeswoman Loretta Cool said.

The toddler held onto the fence with one arm after the man grabbed her and the 9-year-old girl was able to run over and grab her sister’s arm, tugging the child away from the man.

The two siblings, about 7 and 9 years old, saw the man picking up the 2-year-old, at which point they yelled, and he dropped the child before running away westbound down an alley, Cool said.

She believes the children’s parents were inside the home at the time.

The man is described as black, in his late 20s, 5-foot-8 with a medium build. He had a short beard or was unshaven and wearing a black beanie, black hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans with torn knees and high black boots.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911.

This story was originally published August 5, 2015 at 7:08 PM with the headline "Police: Man tries to abduct 2-year-old from backyard in Tacoma."