Man Charged In Attempted Luring Of 10-Year-Old Girl In Jackson Heights

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police have made an arrest in the attempted luring of a little girl in Jackson Heights, Queens.

Jaminton Carela, of Queens, is accused of targeting the 10-year-old girl Friday morning as she walked to school.

At 7:40 a.m., authorities said the girl was walking along 81st Street toward the Renaissance School, when a man she didn't know on the opposite side of the street motioned for her to come to him.

But investigators said when she ignored him, Carela crossed the street and followed her, then reached his hand out to grab her.

The situation was alarming for parents in the neighborhood.

"People are really worried, they are really scared," said Diroan Cervantes, of Jackson Heights.

The NYPD said the little girl screamed and ran for help. She ended up at the intersection of 81st Street and 37th Avenue where she found a crossing guard who stepped in and confronted the suspect. Police said Carela took off immediately.

Investigators plastered wanted posters across the area, showing surveillance images and warning families to be on high alert.

Ultimately, police were able to identify the clothing the suspect was wearing in the surveillance video and tracked him to a gym, CBS2's Ilana Gold reported.

The shaken community is now thankful police have a suspect in custody.

"My granddaughter goes to that school over there," said one man. "(Gold: so this has to be a little bit scary for you?) That's right."

"Terrible, you know, this has never happened before in this neighborhood and we were worried. Thank God they caught the guy," said one resident.

Carela is charged with acting in a manner injurious to a child. So far, police said there is no indication he has targeted other children in that neighborhood.