What began as a routine afternoon at a Los Angeles park turned into a terrifying ordeal for two teenage girls who say they were lured into a car by a persistent stranger — and forced to make a desperate escape when the situation took a sinister turn.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the girls, ages 13 and 16, were first approached Sunday afternoon at North Hills Community Park by a man who pulled up beside them and offered a ride. The teens declined and continued walking.

But the encounter didn’t end there.

Detective Efren Gutierrez said the suspect returned a second time several blocks away, again offering the girls a ride. Once again, they refused. Still, the man did not leave.

Authorities say the suspect tracked the girls down a third time — and this time, the outcome changed.

After repeated encounters, the girls agreed to get into the vehicle. What happened next quickly escalated from uneasy to dangerous.

Instead of taking them to the destination they had requested, the driver veered off course, heading to a quieter residential area near Sunburst and Lemona Avenue — a location police described as secluded, with little foot or vehicle traffic.

Once there, investigators say the man locked the car doors.

Inside the vehicle, the situation allegedly became even more disturbing. The suspect began offering the girls money, alcohol, and drugs, then unzipped his shorts and demanded sexual favors in exchange for cash, according to police.

“The girls were frightened,” Gutierrez said.

What followed was a split-second decision that may have saved their lives.

One of the teens jumped from the car while it was stopped. The other made an even more dangerous escape — leaping out while the vehicle was still moving.

Neither girl was physically injured, but both were shaken as they ran from the scene, screaming for help. The suspect fled the area before officers arrived.

Police say the man is believed to be in his early 20s, but a detailed description has not yet been released. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to identify and locate the suspect.

The incident has raised alarm in the community, highlighting how quickly repeated contact from a stranger can escalate into a dangerous situation.

Anyone with information about the suspect or the vehicle is urged to contact the Los Angeles Police Department.