SARATOGA SPRINGS, Utah, March 19, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — The Saratoga Springs Police Department is investigating after an 8-year-old boy was allegedly told to get into a stranger’s vehicle Monday afternoon.
Saratoga Springs City spokesman David Johnson told Gephardt Daily the child told investigators he was walking home from school when a white vehicle pulled over and one of the three occupants told him to get inside. The boy said no and the vehicle reportedly drove off, officials said.
The incident allegedly occurred in the Fox Hollow neighborhood between 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Johnson said that at this time, officials are not calling the incident an alleged abduction since no force was involved.
The child told investigators the white vehicle was either a crossover or a minivan, and had tinted windows. Because the windows were tinted, he could not give a further description of the alleged suspects.
Johnson said the child’s parents asked people in their neighborhood to share any surveillance footage they might have of a possible suspect vehicle. Johnson said that neighbors have shared videos but officials have not confirmed which of these might be the suspect vehicle.
The report comes after two 12-year-old boys in Moab reported an alleged abduction on March 12, and a junior high school age girl in Bountiful reported an alleged abduction on March 4. Both the boys and the girl said the incidents occurred when they were on their way home from school; both reports turned out to be fabricated.
Johnson said there is no reason to believe the incident in Saratoga Springs is false.
“We have no reason not to believe the child,” Johnson said. “We’re taking this very seriously and will fully investigate.”
Gephardt Daily will have more on this developing story as information is made available.
Anyone who has any information about the alleged incident is asked to call the Saratoga Springs Police Department on 801-794-3970.
