Suspects sought in two reported child-abduction attempts

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This article was published 31/01/2025 (423 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Police say they are investigating separate reported abduction attempts involving young girls near schools this week, including one in Winnipeg.

The latest reported incident happened in the River Heights neighbourhood, in the area of Beaverbrook Street and Centennial Street, at 8:30 a.m. Thursday. Winnipeg police said two girls, ages 8 and 10, were walking to J. B. Mitchell School together when an unknown male began to follow them and took hold of one of their hands.

An adult witnessed the incident and intervened, and the male let go of the girl’s hand and fled the area, the Winnipeg Police Service said in a news release Friday.

The girls got to school safely and reported the incident to an adult, the WPS said.

“(These situations) are very serious. We want to make sure that schools are safe, neighbourhoods are safe,” Winnipeg School Division Supt. Matt Henderson said Friday.

“The school immediately called the police.”

Officers attended the school and launched an investigation that included interviewing witnesses, Henderson said.

A letter notifying parents of the situation was released the same day, he said.

The school is under enhanced supervision from police and staff members “out of an abundance of caution,” but Henderson stressed that instances of attempted abductions are uncommon.

“When they do happen, we take them really, really seriously because it’s unnerving for our kids and it’s unnerving for families,” he said.

“Knowing that they are rare, we also just want to let people know that school is still safe; walking to school is still safe.”

The suspect is described as in his 30s, 6 feet in height, with a thin build and thin blond hair. The description released said he was wearing a tan beach hat with a large brim and sunglasses, a tank top and tropical shorts, despite freezing temperatures.

The WPS asked anyone with information about the incident or relevant video to call its child abuse unit at 204-986-3296 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477 (TIPS).

RCMP are searching for a male who reportedly tried to abduct a girl in Split Lake the day before the reported Winnipeg abduction attempt.

RCMP said they were called about the incident at about 10 a.m. Wednesday. They began patrols but learned a suspect might have already left the community.

The initial investigation determined the girl, 8, was on her way to school and near the building when an unknown male in a white van offered her a ride. The girl was able to get to the school.

The girl described the male, of unknown age, as having short white hair and wearing a light grey jacket. Other witnesses were able to describe the suspect vehicle as a partially dirty white van that was seen numerous times driving by the TCN gas bar.

RCMP said Friday morning that “exhaustive patrols” were done in and around the community, but no suspect was found.

Police asked anyone in the area with a home security camera or a dash camera to contact Thompson rural RCMP at 204-778-3050, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online.

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca