Police: Attempted child abduction in Lexington did not happen

Police in Lexington determined that a recently reported attempted child abduction did not happen.

On March 14, Lexington Police said officers responded to a home on Wood Street. An “elementary school-age child” told police that they were grabbed from behind while playing in their backyard. The suspect was described as a man dressed in all black wearing a black ski mask. The child reported that the man placed a hand over their mouth, but that they were able to break free before the man fled.

But Lexington Police said Friday that an investigation led them nowhere.

“We understand the concerns raised by this incident, and have concluded this was not an abduction attempt. We want to assure the public that there is no ongoing threat to the community,” police said in a statement. “We are continuing to communicate with and support the family involved.”

Officers and detectives with Lexington Police worked with “regional detective groups” to investigate potential leads, officials said. The department offered no further details about the investigation or what led them to determine that the abduction attempt did not happen.

Police thanked Wood Street residents and the wider community for their cooperation.