Stranger Danger: Man Tries To Abduct Girl In Ypsilanti Twp.
UPDATE: Authorities Say Girl's Attempted Kidnapping Claim Was A Lie
YPSILANTI TWP. (WWJ) - The Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office is investigating the attempted abduction of a 7-year-old Ypsilanti Township girl.
Sheriff spokesperson Derrick Jackson said the incident happened Tuesday in the 7400 block of Knollwood Drive, near Merritt and Whittaker roads.
"Just before 8 p.m. we had received a call of a suspicious person," Jackson said. "Deputies responded to the scene and they quickly found out it wasn't just a suspicious person, it actually was an attempted child abduction."
Jackson said the girl was heading home from a friend's house, who lives just a few doors down, when she first saw the man.
"As she was walking home, she immediately noticed there was a middle-aged white male behind her," Jackson said. "He actually approached her, he asked her if she wanted some candy and offered her a balloon."
Having grown up always being told not to talk to strangers, Jackson said the girl didn't hesitate and quickly made her getaway.
"She immediately started to run away. He attempted to grab her, he did not grab her but he attempted to, and she ran into her house and notified her parents," he said.
The man chased after the girl but once she made it to her house, he fled the scene.
The suspect is described as a middle-aged white male with a long beard and long brown hair down past his shoulders. He was wearing a red shirt and blue jeans with a hat and blue backpack. Police say the girl did not see the suspect driving a vehicle.
"Right now, detectives are working the case and doing some more investigation, looking at some of the details," Jackson said. "We're putting the description out in the community in hopes that someone may recognize him, may have seen him in the past or may see him today or tomorrow and can actually call us."
Anyone who may have information about the incident or the suspect is urged to call police at 734-994-2911.
