NEW IBERIA, LA. – Two heroic men working their trash route in New Iberia Parish, Louisiana helped save a 10-year-old girl from being kidnapped.
According to police, Jalisa Lasalle was reported missing from a family member’s home between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Later that day, Louisiana State Police issued an Amber Alert stating the girl was believed to have gotten into a gray 2012 Nissan Altima.
Early Monday morning, Pelican Waste & Debris workers Dion Merrick and Brandon Antoine spotted a vehicle that fit the description in a field and sprang into action.
The men blocked the car’s exit and called police.
Police arrived and arrested 33-year-old Michael Sereal, a convicted sex offender. Sereal has been charged with aggravated kidnapping of a child and failure to register as a sex offender.
Jalisa is now safe because of the workers who decided not to look the other way.
Pelican CEO Roddie Matherne praised his employees in a statement to ABC News.
