Local

76-year-old man charged with battery of 5-year-old Orange County girl, officials say

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A 76-year-old man was arrested Wednesday in connection with the attempted kidnapping of a 5-year-old Pineloch Elementary School student in Orange County, deputies said.

The original incident was reported about 3:30 p.m. Friday when Nicole Atkins says her three children were walking home from the school.

As they headed down the street, the children said a stranger walked up to them and grabbed the youngest by the neck and tried to guide her away.

About 4 p.m. Wednesday, the children were in the car with their mother in the area of South Orange Blossom Trail and Interstate 4 when they spotted Rene Martinez-Vega, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said.

When they pointed him out to their mother, she called deputies, who located Martinez-Vega at the intersection of 35th Street and Westmoreland Drive, the Sheriff's Office said.

He was subsequently charged with battery and booked into the Orange County Jail.

While the initial incident happened Friday, Pineloch Elementary School did not alert parents until Tuesday.

District officials did not know why it took so long for the message to be sent to parents.