THE parents of a brave 10-year-old girl who outwitted a fiend who tried to snatch her from the street say they are proud of her, but traumatised.
And worried police, appealing for public help, say Friday's attempted abduction was the second in Pakenham within days.
The girl was riding her scooter south along Riviera Drive on her way to school when a man approached her around 8.30am.
The man, in his 20s, coaxed the girl around to the back of his orange or red station wagon.
Then he pushed her into the boot.
But the quick-thinking girl scrambled over the back seat and out through one of the back doors. She ran and hid in a garden.
Her shocked father, who asked not to be identified, said the family were traumatised. He no longer felt safe letting his little girl go to school on her own.
"I think we will be driving her to school for a little while," he said.
Detective Inspector Paul Binyon has appealed for any witnesses to come forward."The emotions flood in. We were just scared for her."
"We are treating this very seriously and are pulling out all stops," Insp Binyon said.
The girl's mother said she believed her daughter was yet to fully understand what could have happened to her.
"I don't think she has grasped the severity of what has happened yet," she said.
"We are very, very relieved. She did so well - she was so brave."
