Khalil Evans, 44, who allegedly attempted to abduct a teenage girl from the Willow Grove Park Mall on July 12, appeared in court with his 14-year-old victim on Tuesday, August 22.

The victim described the incident during the preliminary hearing. According to 6ABC News, she testified that Evans told her he was 25 and that his name was Alex before gripping her arm.

“Today she got up on the stand, faced the defendant, same person who had held her against her will, and looked him in the eye and said exactly what happened to her,” Assistant District Attorney Caroline Goldstein said. “She’s 14. She was incredibly smart during this interaction despite how scary it was. She managed to record this individual, the defendant. She told him she was 13 indicating to him that she is a child.”

An anonymous woman has claimed that she encountered Evans and another man on June 27 at the Oxford Valley Mall in Langhorne, several days before the Willow Grove Park Mall attempt.

Evans has been charged with unlawful imprisonment of a minor, a second-degree felony, for the Willow Grove incident.

An arraignment is set for October 4.

For additional coverage, you can watch 6ABC’s video below:

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Screengrab courtesy of 6ABC