A 48-year-old man from Idaho was arrested Aug. 5 for allegedly kidnapping an 11-year-old girl from her home, Salem Police said.
The girl’s parents reported her missing from their home near Lansing Avenue NE and Kathleen Avenue NE in north Salem just after 5 p.m.
Officers canvassed the neighborhood, nearby parks and businesses and used a bloodhound to search for the girl, police said.
Police also put out a request on Facebook and Nextdoor for help locating the girl with a photo and description.
Just after 8:30 p.m., a detective and officer searching on foot near Evergreen Avenue NE and Chester Avenue NE were alerted by a neighbor of suspicious activity, police said. The neighbor had learned the girl was missing and gone on a walk around the neighborhood to help.
Police found Elijah Galaviz Arce with the missing child in a “secluded area covered by shrubbery” and arrested him.
Investigators concluded the girl had been outside her home and Arce had convinced her to leave with him, police said.
“Although the child was physically uninjured, the circumstances of the case are concerning,” deputy chief Debra Aguilar said in a news release.
Arce was arraigned Aug. 6 on charges of first-degree kidnapping, first-degree sexual abuse and unlawful delivery of methamphetamine to a minor. The charging document alleges Arce subjected the girl to sexual contact by “touching her arms.”
“Neighbors in the area were instrumental,” Aguilar said. “They helped by providing home security footage, as well as taking the time to walk their blocks to look for her.”
Police said they believe there may be additional victims and asked anyone with information to contact the Salem Police Tip Line at 503‑588‑8477.
Arce has a Nampa, Idaho, address, according to court records.
He pleaded guilty in 2002 to one charge of rape and two charges of attempt to commit a class A felony in Yamhill County.
The Oregon sex offender registry did not yield search results for Arce, but he was convicted in 2012 of failing to report as a sex offender.
Isabel Funk covers breaking news and public safety for the Statesman Journal. Funk can be reached at ifunk@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @isabeldfunk
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Idaho man arrested in alleged kidnapping of 11-year-old Salem girl
