A man tried to lure a girl into his car at her school bus stop Tuesday morning, Westport police say.

He asked the girl if she wanted to see a cute dog in the back of his car at the intersection of Clinton Avenue and Breezy Knoll, according to investigators.

They say the girl immediately ran home and told her parents.

"My very first reaction was that little girl responded exactly how I'd want my children to respond," says Margot Simmons, a local mom. "I wanted to know how can I teach my kids to respond that way, because she was textbook perfect."

The girl described the man as being between 40 and 50 years old, with brown hair and a bald spot.

She also told police she saw him walking up and down Clinton Avenue at first. Then he entered an older green Jeep Cherokee.

Police say they are working with the Westport Board of Education to make sure students stay safe and residents remain informed. News of the incident has already spread throughout the community thanks in part to social media.

"As a mother, I think it's your worst nightmare," says Lauren Barnet, another Westport mom. "I was terrified."

Anyone with information on the man is asked to contact authorities.