‘Help me’ sign leads to rescue of kidnapped girl, 13, in Southern California

The ‘help me!’ sign used by a 13-year-old girl kidnapped in Texas (US Department of Justice via AP/PA)

A teenage girl kidnapped in Texas was rescued in Southern California when passersby saw her hold up a handwritten “help me” sign in a parked car, police said.

The rescue of the girl, 13, occurred on July 9 in Long Beach, south of Los Angeles, when officers responded to a call and found the “visibly emotional and distressed girl”, police said.