Police warn parents after attempted abduction of child
By By Marianne Todd/The Meridian Star
Aug. 15, 2001
Meridian police are searching for a man they say tried to abduct an 8-year-old girl at knifepoint Tuesday as she walked to school.
Lt. Wade Johnson of the Meridian Police Department said the attempted kidnapping happened at the intersection of 38th Avenue and 15th Street.
Johnson said the girl did not see the knife, but the suspect told her he had one and would use it. The girl used her umbrella to "jab" the man and force her way out of the car. She then ran 31/2 blocks home, where her mother called police.
Dispatchers alerted all patrol units, and officers searched for the man.
The suspect is described as black with a light complexion, wearing a lime green shirt, black shorts and a skull cap. He was driving what is believed to be a small, two-tone gray car with faded spots on the hood and a black-and-gray interior with a zigzag pattern on the seat covers.
Johnson said parents should supervise their children on the way to school and educate their children on what to do if they are approached by a stranger.
Residents with information can call the Meridian Police Department's Criminal Investigation's Division at 485-1859 or CrimeStoppers at 485-1860.
Marianne Todd is a staff writer for the Meridian Star. Call her at 693-1551, ext. 3226, or e-mail her at mtodd@themeridianstar.com.