Apple Valley Police: 'Suspicious Incident' Was Harmless Misunderstanding

UPDATE — Apple Valley police say they've received information that identified the woman involved in this incident. After speaking with the woman, this incident is a harmless misunderstanding involving kids with similar sounding names, police said.

APPLE VALLEY, MN — Apple Valley police are making the public aware of a "suspicious incident" at a YMCA summer youth program held at Westview Elementary School. On Aug. 16 at 3:30 p.m., an unidentified female approached program staff stating she was there to pick up two children and provided the children’s names.

The staff followed their checkout procedure and determined the woman was not authorized to pick the children up, according to police. When consulted, the children verified they did not know the woman. The woman left in a vehicle and had three young children with her at the time, police said.

Authorities say the woman is a black female with an East African accent, 30 to 40 years old, 5 feet, 4 inches to 5 feet, 7 inches tall with a medium build.

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She has short/shaved hair on the side of her head and longer hair on top. She left in a newer model black SUV, possibly a Lexus with Minnesota license plates, according to a news release.

Anyone with information on this woman’s identity is asked to contact Detective Dan Schyma of the Apple Valley Police Department at (952) 953-2873 or dschyma@cityofapplevalley.org

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