Boy Lied About Attempted Kidnapping, Police Say

An 11-year-old boy today recanted his story about nearly being pulled into a van as he walked home from school in Palos Verdes Estates last week.

A composite sketch of the vehicle’s driver was developed after the boy told investigators he was headed home near Coronel Plaza and Via Margarita about 3:30 p.m. on May 28, when a “1980s-style Chevrolet van” approached, according to the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department.

The boy said the driver called to him and asked for directions to ‘the promenade,’ and as he began to look at his cellphone to assist the suspect, the man said he could not hear the child and asked him to come closer.

The boy said he was nearing the front passenger door of the van when he heard the passenger sliding door open and felt someone grab his backpack from behind and attempt to pull him into the van. He said he broke free and ran home.

“Given the specific details detectives were provided, the department made an immediate decision to alert the public -- the critical and necessary first step of the investigative process in a case like this,” according to a police statement.

Detectives interviewed the boy repeatedly and each time he “consistently reported the same details in chronological order leading investigators to view his account as credible,” police said.

A sketch artist produced a bulletin that was widely distributed and brought in nearly 300 tips of possible suspect sightings, police said.

“After a thorough and thoughtful investigation, we have concluded that there was no attempted kidnapping,” police said.

Palos Verdes Estates police Detective Sgt. Steve Barber told City News Service the boy was re-interviewed today and basically admitted that the story was false.

It was unclear what prompted the boy to concoct the story.

All law enforcement agencies and the general public should disregard the bulletin, police said.

Discussions were under way on possible legal consequences for the boy, but any decision “probably won’t be made for a little while,” Barber said.

City News Service