News · Community · Kelso, Washington
Police in Kelso, Washington, investigate report that man grabbed trick-or-treating girl on Halloween
Police in Kelso, Washington, are looking for a man who a girl says grabbed her by the arm while she was trick-or-treating on Halloween evening, according to a KPTV report distributed by Gray News and carried by stations including WIS, WOWT, WBTV and Dakota News Now.
The Kelso Police Department said officers were sent to a neighborhood shortly before 7 p.m. after the girl reported the encounter, KPTV reported. Her age was not given in the report.
According to the girl's account as relayed by police, a white utility van had been following her before a man stepped out of it and took hold of her arm. She described him as wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and dark jeans.
Police said the girl told officers she broke free by kicking the man in the groin, according to the report.
Officers searched the surrounding area but did not locate the van or anyone who matched the description, KPTV reported. No arrest has been reported, and no suspect has been identified.
A short time after the Kelso call, the Longview Police Department said it had also received a report of a van following children who were out trick-or-treating, according to the same report. Longview borders Kelso in southwest Washington. The report did not say whether police believe the two incidents are connected, and it did not describe the vehicle in the Longview report beyond calling it a van.
Kelso police said they were reviewing security camera footage from the neighborhood where the girl was approached, KPTV reported.
The department asked anyone with information about the incident to call police at 360-423-1270.
All four outlets published the same wire story, and no outlet reported additional details, such as the specific street where the encounter happened, whether the girl was injured, or whether she was with other children or adults at the time.
The investigation is ongoing.
Compiled by True News from reporting by WIS, WOWT, WBTV and Dakota News Now. Each outlet's original story is linked below.
Sources
- Man grabs trick-or-treating girl, follows other children in van on Halloween night, police say (WIS)
- Man grabs trick-or-treating girl, follows other children in van on Halloween night, police say (WOWT)
- Man grabs trick-or-treating girl, follows other children in van on Halloween night, police say (WBTV)
- Man grabs trick-or-treating girl, follows other children in van on Halloween night, police say (Dakota News Now)
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