Police arrest man they say tried to buy 7-year-old girl at grocery store

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Police have arrested a man who they say tried to buy a 7-year-old girl from her grandmother at an East Cobb store.

Police say this is the second time the man has approached the same family about the child.

The grandmother told police Einodd Samimi approached her at the Kroger on Roswell Road in Marietta Monday night and began to make inappropriate comments about her granddaughter.

“He asked to touch the granddaughter for $200. At that point, the grandmother started yelling at him, calling him a child molester,” said Sarah O’Hara with the Cobb County Police Department.

A group of nearby shoppers quickly jumped in to help, chasing Samimi through the store and out to his car. Samimi took off, but one of the shoppers was able to get the car's tag number.

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Officers later arrested Samimi at his home.

Channel 2's Chris Jose learned that this is actually the second time the suspect has approached the family. Police say that on April 30, Samimi saw the child at a Cobb Walmart and offered her grandmother $100 for her.

According to the arrest warrant, Samimi talked about how pretty the child's hair was and followed the family around the store. The grandmother ignored him.

"It’s very alarming to us that he may have been following them," O'Hara told Jose.

Samimi is charged with enticing a child, which is a felony.

A spokeswoman from Kroger says the store doesn't tolerate this type of behavior. Kroger officials are working with police on the investigation.

Cox Media Group