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Manteca Police: No attempted abduction of elementary student
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Manteca Police officers are no longer looking for an adult that reportedly grabbed a Golden West student Friday afternoon in a possible abduction after video evidence failed to corroborate the girl’s story. 

Shortly before 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 23, the Manteca Police were notified that a young girl was approached by an adult in all black wearing a ski mask as school got out at 3 p.m., and that adult reportedly grabbed the shoulder of the girl and then proceeded to chase her three blocks down Main Street before the girl was able to escape without any injury. 

The Manteca Police Department shared the information that had been provided them to them on the City of Manteca’s Facebook page, and the father of the girl posted a video claiming that he was going to “hurt” the person responsible. Shortly after midnight on Saturday morning, the Facebook post was updated with a note that video evidence had been reviewed in the matter, and that what was seen on camera did not line-up with what was told to police when the report was filed. 

“Video surveillance has been reviewed in this case and it does not support what has been reported to the Manteca Police Department,” the update read. “Based on this information, Manteca PD is no longer searching for a suspect involved in this incident. We thoroughly appreciate the willingness of the community to assist us in our investigation.”

Several comments on the city’s Facebook page from concerned citizens alluded to the fact that somebody dressed in similar clothing that may have been in the area, and one person noted that somebody with a black ski mask was spotted on North Street by St. Anthony’s Church. 

The delay in reporting the alleged incident was supposedly due to the fact that the girl’s father was out looking for the perpetrator once he was notified by his daughter. 

 

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.