15-year-old girl robbed at Modesto’s Whitmore Park

Modesto Police on Tuesday morning arrested a man suspected of robbing a 15-year-old girl in a park.

The girl walked with friends to Whitmore Park on College and Bowen avenues at about 1 a.m. They were followed by the suspect, said Modesto Police Department spokeswoman Heather Graves.

She said the suspect punched the victim in the face and took her backpack and cell phone.

Using a friend’s phone, the girl called her mother, who responded to the park and called police.

Officers located the suspect, 19-year-old Ryan Sala, nearby. He was arrested on suspicion of robbery.

This story was originally published June 7, 2016 at 5:09 PM with the headline "15-year-old girl robbed at Modesto’s Whitmore Park."