Man who allegedly tried to grab girl is in custody

JUST ONE DAY after city officials announced a $10,000 reward for the capture and conviction of a man wanted in the attempted kidnapping of a 10-year-old girl in South Philadelphia, police had a North Philadelphia man in custody.

Carlos Figueroa-Fagot, 33, reported to East Detectives around midnight Thursday and was directed to the Special Victims Unit before being temporarily released. He then was arrested about 9:30 a.m. at his home near 8th Street and Allegheny Avenue in North Philadelphia, Capt. John Darby of SVU said. Figueroa-Fagot was charged with a slew of offenses including attempted kidnapping, aggravated indecent assault and false imprisonment.

Police said that the incident appeared to be an isolated event, but that Figueroa-Fagot had been accused by a relative of sexual assault. The charges in that case were dropped earlier this month when the alleged victim and her mother said that they had made up the accusation, District Attorney Seth Williams said.

Police did not disclose the nature of the accusation. Figueroa-Fagot also had several drug-related arrests in Puerto Rico.

Surveillance video shows that about 3:50 p.m. Tuesday, the suspect followed the girl and her brother on Porter Street near Lee.

As they turned the corner onto Lee, the suspect got out of his car and followed the children on foot. The video then showed that the suspect tried to pick the girl up and dropped her as she struggled to get away. He tried to pick her up once more, but gave up and fled east on Porter.

Police said that the suspect had discussed the incident with his family and was directed by a former pastor to go to the police.

Darby said the suspect and his family knew that video of the incident had been released and that it "forced him to come forward."