Police seek suspect in attempted child luring
A man is wanted for allegedly attempting to lure a 14-year-old girl into his vehicle in McKeesport on Sept. 20, according to court records.
Hari Karki, 24, of Jersey Street in McKeesport, is facing charges of luring a child and criminal attempt stemming from the incident.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, police were alerted around noon that a possible child luring had occurred in the 1600 block of Fifth Avenue near Versailles Cemetery.
The victim told officers that an Indian man with facial hair, driving a white SUV, approached her while she was walking to a bus stop. She said the same man had attempted to approach her two days earlier in a similar vehicle.
As the man tried to engage her in conversation, she became nervous and walked toward the bus stop. The man reportedly drove past her, made a U-turn, and returned in her direction.
The girl told police she quickened her pace and headed toward the entrance of Versailles Cemetery, with the SUV continuing to follow her.
At that point, a second vehicle pulled up and parked behind the SUV. The girl approached the vehicle and asked the woman inside for help. The man in the SUV fled the scene, according to the affidavit.
The woman, who was not identified, told police she and a friend were hanging signs in the area when they noticed the girl appeared distressed. She said they followed the SUV into the cemetery and asked the girl if she was okay. She also told police she had taken a photo of the SUV’s license plate.
The girl later described a previous incident from two days earlier. She said the same man had approached her near McKeesport Middle School and offered her $60 in exchange for performing “bad sexual things,” claiming they could get food and hang out afterward.
She ignored him and continued to school.
Police used the license plate number to identify the SUV and found it had not left the city. It was registered to Karki, and officers went to his listed address.
Karki agreed to come to the station for questioning.
During the interview, he initially omitted any interaction with a girl.
When pressed, he admitted he had seen someone he recognized and stopped to try to get her phone number. He claimed he thought she was “about 21,” though he also described her as wearing a backpack.
Karki said he fled the cemetery because he thought the vehicle that pulled up behind him belonged to the girl’s parents and he got scared.
A warrant has been issued for his arrest.
