NEW IBERIA, La. – A 10-year-old girl kidnapped taken from her Louisiana neighborhood Sunday is back with her family thanks to the quick actions of two sanitation workers, according to KLAF.
Early that afternoon, Jalisa Lasalle’s family reported her missing.
After a search of the neighborhood and a tip that Jalisa may have been seen getting into a vehicle, police issued an Amber Alert for her.
Soon after, sanitation workers Dion Merrick and Brandon Antoine spotted a car matching that description parked in a field along their route.
“I didn’t second guess it, I said for the car to be parked in this location, and it matches the description on the Amber Alert, something’s not right,” recalled Merrick.
The two workers used their truck to block the vehicle’s exit, called 911, and within minutes officers arrived.
“When they grabbed the little girl out of the car, when the cop took the little girl out of the car, I am not exactly sure what she said, but it sounded like she said ‘I thank y’all’ and from there I just started crying,” said Antoine.