Attempted Abduction Of 2 Children, Aged 9 and 5, Reported In Gainesville: Police

GAINESVILLE, VA — A woman was arrested last week in Gainesville after she was accused of attempting to steal a car that had two children in it, according to a report from the Prince William County Police Department. The woman, Mary Anne Matteson of Warrenton, was charged with two counts of attempted abduction and one count of attempted grand larceny.

The incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. at a convenience store in the 7500 block of Webb Drive in Gainesville. At that time, an unknown woman who later identified as Matteson entered a car that was parked outside the store. The car was occupied by a 9-year-old boy and a 5-year-old boy, police said.

Authorities claim that Matteson attempted to start the car's ignition, but the keys were not in the vehicle.

A family member who was parked in an adjacent vehicle saw what happened and intervened. No injuries were reported during the incident, and the children were turned over to a family member, police said.

After an investigation, authorities arrested Matteson. She is being held without bond at the Prince William County Adult Detention Center. Her next court date is scheduled for March 30.

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