NORFOLK, Va. – Posts are circulating on social media regarding recent child abduction attempts in the area, but local police say after investigating both incidents, no charges were filed.
The original posts, both made by concerned parents, warn about two suspected abduction attempts that reportedly happened recently at Norfolk Botanical Garden and in the Buckner Farms neighborhood of Virginia Beach.
In the incident at Norfolk Botanical Garden, a woman was reported to have approached a boy and grabbed his hand. In the posts, the woman is described as a blonde woman who either spoke Russian or spoke with a Russian accent.
Norfolk Police say they did respond to a call for this situation at the Norfolk Botanical Garden. No charges were filed and they issued the following statement about the incident:
“While the woman’s intentions are unknown, the circumstances do not rise to the level necessary to pursue charges for an attempted abduction at this time. The involved woman has been identified and the department is conducting a thorough investigation to determine the nature of the incident. Detectives remain in contact with the child’s family.”
The original Facebook posts about the incident have either been deleted or are no longer public.
In the incident in the Buckner Farms neighborhood of Virginia Beach, a woman was reported to have gotten out of a suspicious vehicle and approached a toddler before walking down the street.
Virginia Beach Police say officers did respond to reports of an attempting kidnapping but found no physical attempt of a kidnapping. They obtained information from the individuals involved, but found nothing suspicious about the incident. No charges were filed. The investigation is no longer active.
However, police say they are still encouraging people to call them if they suspect suspicious activity at any time.
