Man facing charges in Merrillville kidnapping of teen

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (WLS) -- Merrillville police say a man is facing charges after a teen was abducted from her car in the parking lot of a northwest Indiana high school.

Merrillville police say they were called to Merrillville High School Thursday at 9:45 p.m. for a welfare check on a night-school student.

Officers discovered a vehicle in the parking lot last driven by the girl. The keys were on the driver's seat and the passenger door was ajar, police say, and an earring was located a short distance from the vehicle. The girl's mother told police it was her daughter's. Officers spoke to family members and got security video of the incident, which police say led police to suspect a man the girl knew, Sergio Mendez of Hammond. Family members told police the Lake County Courts had issued a restraining order against Mendez on the girl's behalf.

A statewide alert was sent to police departments describing the victim, suspect and the black Dodge seen driven from the school. An Amber Alert was pending license information on the Dodge, police said.

Officers tracked Mendez's cell phone and called him while two officer found the vehicle and took the suspect and victim to the police station. The girl was released to her mother.

Mendez was transported to Lake County Jail for Batter including strangulation, and invasion of privacy, police said.