Sex Offender Grabs Young Boys At Elsinore Playground: Police

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — A convicted sex offender is back behind bars Monday after trying to abduct two boys from a Lake Elsinore playground, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department reports. What's more, officials say the man was stopped from fleeing with one of the boys thanks to the quick actions of witnesses.

It happened around 11:30 a.m. at a play area at Rosetta Canyon Sports Park, according to sheriff's Sgt. Steve Fredericks. Marcus DeWitt, 29, is accused of first trying to grab a 3-year-old and then a 4-year-old boy who were at the park with family members.

According to Fredericks, the first child the man approached "was partially inside of a play apparatus" so DeWitt "was unsuccessful" with pulling him out.

"DeWitt then picked up a four year-old male victim and attempted to flee the area with him," the sergeant said. "The victim’s parents and other family members observed the abduction, and were able to catch DeWitt and wrestle the child out of his grasp."

DeWitt then tried to run away, "but was subdued by a family member of the victim" and other witnesses helped keep him detained until police arrived, Fredericks said.

The sergeant said neither young boy was hurt in the incident and both are safely with their families.

Deputies took DeWitt into custody without additional struggle, Fredericks said. He was booked into the French Valley jail on $1 million bail, records showed Monday night.

According to court records, he has prior misdemeanor convictions for lewd and lascivious conduct, obstruction of justice, violating a court restraining order and vandalism.