Coverage dated July 20, 2023 to July 21, 2023

'Help me' sign leads to rescue of kidnapped Texas girl in Southern California

Headline from Beatrice Daily Sun

Good Samaritans were in a parking lot when they saw the victim in a parked vehicle holding up a piece of paper with 'help me' written on it.

Beatrice Daily Sun's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Reports & sources

74 articles, oldest first.

  1. ABC 7 San Francisco

    13-year-old girl kidnapped in Texas rescued in California thanks to 'Help me' sign, police say (opens ABC 7 San Francisco)

    Published

    ABC 7 San Francisco's feed description

    The DOJ said the 13-year-old was able to make a "Help me" sign on a crumbled piece of paper after she was driven from Texas to California -- and it ended up saving her life.

  2. Fox News

    Kidnapped Texas teen rescued by Good Samaritans in California after waving 'help me' sign (opens Fox News)

    Published

    Fox News's feed description

    A 13-year-old girl who was allegedly kidnapped in Texas and repeatedly sexually assaulted was rescued in California after a Good Samaritan came to her aid.

  3. KAGS Bryan

    Kidnapped Texas girl rescued in California after waving 'help me' sign while in suspect's vehicle, officials say (opens KAGS Bryan)

    Published

    KAGS Bryan's feed description

    The suspect, a 61-year-old man from Cleburne, Texas, was indicted for allegedly kidnapping the girl in San Antonio.

  4. New York Post

    Texas teen rescued from alleged kidnapper by holding up ‘help me’ sign in parked car (opens New York Post)

    Published

    New York Post's feed description

    Police arrested a male suspect, 61-year-old Steven Robert Sablan, at the scene.

  5. Beatrice Daily Sun

    'Help me' sign leads to rescue of kidnapped Texas girl in Southern California (opens Beatrice Daily Sun)

    Published

    Beatrice Daily Sun's feed description

    Good Samaritans were in a parking lot when they saw the victim in a parked vehicle holding up a piece of paper with 'help me' written on it.

  6. FOX 4 Dallas

    13-year-old girl kidnapped from Texas waves 'help me' note to people passing by in LA County (opens FOX 4 Dallas)

    Published

    FOX 4 Dallas's feed description

    A 13-year-old sexual assault survivor who was kidnapped from Texas waved a note that read "help me" to people passing by in Long Beach.

  7. KSDK

    Kidnapped girl rescued after Good Samaritan spots 'Help Me!' sign (opens KSDK)

    Published

    KSDK's feed description

    A 13-year-old girl kidnapped in Texas was rescued in California after she was subtly able to get the attention of nearby Good Samaritans, authorities said.

  8. CNN

    Kidnapping victim's "Help Me!" sign leads to girl's rescue, suspect's arrest (opens CNN)

    Published

    CNN's feed description

    A 13-year-old kidnapping victim was rescued in Southern California after making a “Help Me!” sign to alert passersby, which then lead to the arrest of a Texas man.

  9. Honolulu Star-Advertiser

    ‘Help me’ sign leads to rescue of kidnapped Texas girl (opens Honolulu Star-Advertiser)

    Published

    Honolulu Star-Advertiser's feed description

    LONG BEACH, Calif. >> A 13-year-old girl kidnapped in Texas and sexually assaulted was rescued in Southern California when passersby saw her hold up a “help me” sign in a parked car, police and federal authorities said.

  10. NBC News

    'Help Me!': 13-year-old girl kidnapped in Texas uses sign to get rescued in California (opens NBC News)

    Published

    NBC News's feed description

    The girl was rescued in the parking lot of a Long Beach laundry mat after a good Samaritan spotted her handwritten sign and called the police.

  11. The Oregonian

    ‘Help me!’ sign leads to rescue of kidnapped 13-year-old girl (opens The Oregonian)

    Published

    The Oregonian's feed description

    Police said the victim had been near a bus stop in San Antonio when the suspect approached in a vehicle, pointed a gun at her and demanded that she get in.

  12. The Daily Caller

    Good Samaritan Rescues Kidnapped Teen After Seeing ‘Help Me’ Sign (opens The Daily Caller)

    Published

    The Daily Caller's feed description

    A 13-year-old girl was rescued from an alleged kidnapper and rapist after a Good Samaritan noticed a "help me" sign in the window of a vehicle in California.

  13. NBC10 Philadelphia

    Girl kidnapped in Texas rescued in Southern California after scribbling ‘Help Me' on paper (opens NBC10 Philadelphia)

    Published

    NBC10 Philadelphia's feed description

    A girl kidnapped in Texas on July 6 was rescued three days later in Long Beach after waving a “help me” sign while inside her kidnapper’s vehicle.

  14. The Guardian

    Kidnapped 13-year-old girl rescued in California after holding up ‘help me’ sign (opens The Guardian)

    Published

    The Guardian's feed description

    Police charge 61-year-old man after freeing girl who had been snatched days earlier in Texas from parked car in Long Beach

  15. CBS News

    Kidnapped Texas girl rescued in California after holding up "help me" sign inside car (opens CBS News)

    Published

    CBS News's feed description

    The victim was allegedly sexually assaulted multiple times during the three days she was held by her kidnapper.

  16. ABC 17 Mid-Missouri

    Kidnapping victim’s ‘Help Me!’ sign leads to girl’s rescue, suspect’s arrest (opens ABC 17 Mid-Missouri)

    Published

    ABC 17 Mid-Missouri's feed description

    By Cheri Mossburg, CNN (CNN) — A 13-year-old kidnapping victim was rescued in Southern California after making a “Help Me!” sign to alert passersby, which then led to the arrest of a Texas man. Steven Robert Sablan, 61, is now facing federal kidnapping charges for the incident in which he is alleged…

  17. ABC 7 Los Angeles

    13-year-old girl kidnapped at gunpoint in Texas rescued in Long Beach thanks to 'help me' sign (opens ABC 7 Los Angeles)

    Published

    ABC 7 Los Angeles's feed description

    A 13-year-girl who was kidnapped in Texas and driven to Long Beach was able to make a "help me" sign on a crumbled piece of paper - and it ended up saving her life.

  18. NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

    Kidnapped Texas girl's ‘Help me' note leads to rescue in California, Cleburne man arrested (opens NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth)

    Published

    NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth's feed description

    A Cleburne, Texas man is under arrest, accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old San Antonio girl. The girl was rescued in California when passersby saw her hold up a “help me” sign, authorities say.

  19. NBC Los Angeles

    Girl kidnapped in Texas rescued in Long Beach after scribbling ‘help me' on a piece of paper (opens NBC Los Angeles)

    Published

    NBC Los Angeles's feed description

    A girl kidnapped in Texas on July 6 was rescued three days later in Long Beach after waving a “help me” sign while inside her kidnapper’s vehicle.

  20. Foxla

    New video shows moments after alleged kidnapping of girl holding ‘help me’ sign comes to dramatic end (opens Foxla)

    Published

    Foxla's feed description

    A good Samaritan called 911 after seeing two simple words scrawled on a crumpled piece of paper. Those words ended a kidnapped teen's frightening ordeal from Texas to Long Beach, and new details are emerging about the troubling case.

  21. New York Times

    Kidnapped Girl’s ‘Help Me!’ Sign Leads to Her Rescue (opens New York Times)

    Published

    New York Times's feed description

    A passer-by saw the girl’s sign at a parking lot in Long Beach, Calif., after a 61-year-old man had taken her from Texas days earlier, officials said.

  22. St. Louis Post-Dispatch

    ‘Help me’: Makeshift sign leads to rescue of kidnapped Texas girl in Southern California (opens St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

    Published

    St. Louis Post-Dispatch's feed description

    a 13-year-old girl kidnapped in Texas was rescued in Southern California when passersby saw her hold up a “Help Me!” sign in a parked car and called 911, police said.

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.

'Help me' sign leads to rescue of kidnapped Texas girl in Southern California | Since Then