SALEM, Ore. — Every parent’s worst nightmare became a horrifying reality Tuesday night in Salem, and it’s the kind of story that should make every Oregonian furious.
Just after 5 p.m., the parents of an 11-year-old autistic girl reported her missing from their neighborhood near Lansing and Kathleen Avenues NE. She had been outside picking blackberries when a stranger on a bike approached her. According to police, 48-year-old Elijah Galaviz Arce lured her away with a sickening mix of false kindness and manipulation — first offering to show her “pretty rocks and gems,” and then allegedly trying to give her meth.
Yes, meth. To an 11-year-old child.
As panic set in, the girl’s father sprang into action. He drove around the neighborhood, talking to anyone who would listen, describing his daughter and begging for help. Police officers and a bloodhound joined the search, checking parks, streets, and nearby businesses.
But it wasn’t law enforcement who found her.
Around 8:30 p.m., a concerned neighbor, aware of the missing child, went walking through the area to help — and that neighbor noticed something suspicious near Evergreen and Chester Avenues NE. They flagged down officers.
Police searched the area and found Elijah Arce hiding in the bushes with the missing girl. According to the girl’s father, who spoke with KOIN 6 News, the man had kissed her on the cheek and was stroking her arm.
“He was grooming,” the father told KOIN.
“My 11-year-old child had no idea what to do.”
The girl, who is autistic, was thankfully uninjured but exhausted and confused. After a thorough hospital check-up and speaking with detectives, she was brought safely home.
Arce — who has no known Salem address and a criminal history that includes prior sex offenses — was arrested and booked into Marion County Jail. Charges include first-degree kidnapping, attempted rape, and unlawful delivery of a controlled substance to a minor.
Let’s not sugarcoat this.
This man was free, unsupervised, roaming Oregon’s streets — and nearly succeeded in destroying a child’s life.
Deputy Chief Debra Aguilar said in a press release, “Although the child was physically uninjured, the circumstances of the case are concerning.”
Concerning? That’s a hell of an understatement.
If not for a random neighbor with a conscience, this could’ve ended much worse. In fact, detectives now believe there may be other victims, and the investigation is ongoing.
The girl’s father told KOIN 6 News how terrifying it was when he realized she was gone:
“All I can think is, where’s my child?” he said.
“Just the sheer relief that she was alive and in good spirits.”
He also shared how grateful he was for the neighbors who stepped up when it mattered most.
“I didn’t have to ask them,” he told KOIN. “They did it out of the goodness of their heart.”
This story is enraging. It’s also a brutal reminder of how fragile our sense of safety really is — and how often it’s the community, not the system, that protects our kids.
Anyone with information about Elijah Galaviz Arce or any suspicious encounters is urged to contact the Salem Police Department immediately.
Because monsters like this?
They don’t stop until someone stops them.
To provide tips or information, contact Salem Police at (503) 588-6123.
