Police: Attempted abduction in Howell "likely did not happen"
HOWELL, New Jersey (WABC) -- Police in Howell Township say an attempted abduction involving a 6-year-old girl claiming a stranger approached her and placed a bag over her head outside her home may have never happened.
A 6-year-old girl told officers she was outside playing with friends, when most of the other children went inside.
She had stayed outside cleaning up toys at the Adelphia Greens Development, but her brother ran in to get a water bottle.
That's when she said a man driving a black SUV put a paper bag over the girl's head.
The girl told police the man never grabbed her because she screamed and ran inside.
Officers spent hundreds of hours investigating the claims.
Video and audio footage surfaced late Monday provided investigators with a good insight into the child's activity. There's a brief period of time where the child cannot be seen on video.
To test the possibility this act occurred during that brief period of time the child is not seen, Howell detectives retraced the footsteps and created a timeline. They determined it was highly unlikely someone had the opportunity to commit this offense during this time.
In a statement, Chief Andrew Kudrick says, "Based upon all that has been presented to me including an extensive investigation, lack of any type of evidence, video/audio footage and the result of the interview with the child, I do not believe this act occurred."
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