Police ID suspect in attempted child abduction; Mother recalls ‘terrifying’ incident

KETTERING — Kettering police say they’ve identified the man a mother said tried to take her two little girls right outside of her home.

The incident happened Thursday around 5:10 p.m. in the area of Bigger Road and E. David Road. It was there where Saraya Harrison thought she nearly lost her daughters.

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Harrison said her girls were playing outside like any other day, when she said a man zeroed in on her girls. She said her 7-year-old noticed the man crossing the street.

“He didn’t use the crosswalk she basically said he’d jaywalked across the street to them,” she told News Center 7′s Kayla McDermott.

Then the man began talking to her children.

“He had asked them if they were enjoying the view,” Harrison said. “That was when he proceeded to grab my 5-year-old’s arm.”

Harrison said her older daughter tried to help, but the man then grabbed her arm and told her, “Well then you’re coming with me.” Her daughters yanked their arms away and that was when she looked outside and saw the unknown man.

“I hurried up and opened my door. He noticed me and took off,” she said.

While her children ran inside and Harrison followed the man. She took two photos of him, which Kettering police posted to social media on Friday. She said waiting for an arrest has been brutal.

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“The safest place for my kids to play was right here and not its not like that for them anymore,” Harrison explained.

She said she’ll remain uneasy for some time and called the incident “absolutely terrifying.”

“I didn’t want to let them back outside today. I took my 5-year-old outside and I was just looking over my shoulder every five seconds. I don’t like that feeling,” she said.

As for the man, Kettering police said Friday afternoon that he had been identified and was currently being questioned by detectives. His name has not been released by police at this time.

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