By Patricia Bogumil
Editor
Despite lots of tips and plenty of interviews and investigation, no suspect has been named by the Racine County Sheriff’s Office in an alleged abduction attempt of a 15-year-old Waterford High School student as she walked home from school Feb. 20.
“It is still under investigation,” said Lt. Steve Sikora of the Sheriff’s Office.
The alleged abduction attempt took place shortly before 3 p.m., as the girl was walking home after class, according to an initial press release issued by the Sheriff’s Department.
“It was a shock to the school community,” Superintendent Keith Brandstetter said Monday afternoon. “Nobody wants this kind of thing to be happening.”
Brandstetter said he understands the incident reportedly occurred downtown in the alley by Marty’s Restaurant on Main Street.
The girl told an investigator that a car – possibly a late 1990s or early 2000s Buick Regal – drove past her and then stopped. The male driver got out of the car and began yelling at the girl, asking if she had any friends and if she has a boyfriend.
The girl told the investigator she responded “no,” and began to walk faster away from the man, who continued to follow her. The girl then began running and as she did so, the suspect allegedly grabbed her by her hooded sweatshirt and attempted to pull her back toward his car, according to authorities.
The girl told deputies she broke away and began screaming as she ran toward her house, prompting the suspect to leave the area.
Waterford High School sent out a notice to parents late that evening, informing them of the incident.
Brandstetter said police had increased their presence around the school with both uniformed and plains clothes officers, and said the sheriff’s department handling of the issue has been “very thorough.”
Search for suspect continues
The suspect is described as a white male about 6 feet tall and 180 to 200 pounds, with a medium build and brown scruffy beard.
He was wearing blue jeans, a dark green jacket, sunglasses and a baseball cap.
Deputies searched the area Feb. 20 but were unable to locate the suspect or his vehicle.
The Sheriff’s Office plans to continue extra patrols in the area around the high school while the incident remains under investigation.
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