At 3:30 p.m. Nov. 6, Charles County Sheriff’s officers responded to a residence in the 4500 block of Clayton Court for the report of the attempted abduction of a child. Investigation revealed a 10-year-old girl was walking from her school bus stop when a white van with blue lettering approached her. The driver, a heavy-set black male in his late 20s with dreadlocks, first asked the girl for directions and then asked to give her a ride.
As the girl continued walking, the driver exited the van and then reached for something in it, threatening to shoot her if she did not get in the van. The girl continued walking and made it home without further incident and told a parent, who notified the police.
Further investigation revealed another girl who lives in the neighborhood had a similar encounter with the same vehicle two or three weeks earlier in which a driver with the same description asked her for directions, but the incident was not initially reported to the police. Deputies have increased patrols in the area in response to the incident.
The van is a Ford Econoline described as having blue lettering on the side panel which may contain the word “parts.” The Sheriff’s Office has released a photo of a similar van and a sketch of the driver. The photo and sketch are also available on the Sheriff’s Office’s Web site, www.ccso.us. Anyone who sees the van or has information is asked to contact the Charles County Sheriff’s Office at 301-932-2222. Those with information may also contact the investigator, Det. J. Pratta, at 301-609-6491 or the Special Victims Unit at 301-609-6514.
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Charles County Crime Solvers offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information about a crime in Charles County that leads to an arrest or indictment. Anyone with information about a crime may contact Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS. All callers remain anonymous.