Police investigate attempted child abduction in Kenosha

Possible attempted child abduction occurs in Kenosha

KENOSHA (WITI) -- Kenosha parents are on edge after an attempted child abduction on the morning of Thursday, August 8th.

The possible abduction attempt took place near the park at Nash Elementary School. Kenosha Police are currently investigating the eerily vacant park.

"Normally, like I said, summertime, this place would be packed with kids running all around," said Alderman David Bogdala.

FOX6 spoke with one of the parents of the child who was almost abducted. The parent asked to be identified only as Pat.

Pat's nine-year-old daughter was walking home with a friend, after a sleepover, at approximately 11:30 a.m. when a man approached her.

"A car pulled up by my daughter and my daughter said she got some kind of icky feeling and looked and the guy was looking at her," Pat described. "Then he got out of a car and started running after her. So she just panicked and took off running towards her friend."

Fortunately, Pat's daughter returned home safely.

"Luckily, the grace of God, whatever, the guy stopped running after her. She turned around to look and he was running back to his car and left," said Pat.

Word about the attempted abduction spread quickly throughout the neighborhood, capturing the attention of other families - including Alderman Bogdala who lives nearby. Bogdala said social media was helpful in disseminating the news.

"Social media plays a big role in that," Bogdala explained. "Really getting the information out there quickly so, one, we can dispel any rumors and, two, to try to gather as much information we can to help the police department and their investigation."

Police continue to investigate the incident and are also looking into whether there may be a connection between this attempted abduction and similar situation that happened a short time later in Pleasant Prairie.

"We make sure we know exactly where they are and when they are," Pat said. Just keep telling them a buddy system, always have a friend or your sister or your brother, you know. Don't be anywhere alone."

Both Kenosha and Pleasant Prairie Police Departments are investigating what happened and encourage anyone with information to give them a call.