Police: Kidnapper targeted 5-year-old girl

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PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- A 5-year-old girl kidnapped from her Philadelphia school appears to have been targeted, investigators said.

Capt. John Darby of the Philadelphia Police Special Victims Unit said Nailla Robinson, who was found early Tuesday in an Upper Darby playground, showed no signs of being sexually molested, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. He said the woman who removed her from a Philadelphia school Monday knew which classroom to go to and just walked in and went straight to Nailla.

Nelson Mandela Myers of Upper Darby was on his way to his job as a sanitation worker in Norristown just after 4:30 a.m. when he heard Nailla's cries for help. The girl was wearing only a soaked T-shirt, and Myers wrapped her in his coat before calling 911.

"She was just shivering and saying she was cold," Myers said.

Mayor Michael Nutter said Myers will receive the $10,000 reward offered for information on the case because he "did the right thing."

Nailla told police the woman took her to a house where a man was present, her family said.

Her grandfather, Asim Abdur-Rashid, said the family was thankful for her rescue.

"She's a strong little girl," he said. "She's holding up like a soldier."

School officials are investigating whether a substitute teacher allowed the kidnapper to leave with Nailla without showing identification.