Attempted child abduction at Spraugue park

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office reported that around Sunday noon on March 8, a man contacted three children at the city park in Sprague. He chatted with the two older children for a few minutes, then grabbed an approximately two-year-old male child from a stroller and ran. The child’s older brother and sister began screaming and pursued the suspect.

The suspect ran a couple of blocks and two Sprague teenagers nearby, Isaac Yow, 16, and Andrew Crane, 15, were attracted by the commotion. As they approached, the suspect put the child down and fled on foot. The two teens stopped to see whether the child was all right, then took up their pursuit again. When they rounded the next corner, however, the suspect had escaped.

No vehicles were seen that could be associated with the suspect. Surveillance video from a nearby grocery store was obtained by the Sheriff’s Office, and investigators are attempting to have it enhanced. The Sheriff’s Office also reported that the suspect appeared to be unknown to the family of the children involved.

The suspect is a white male who claimed to be 19 years old, although those who have viewed the video have estimated him to be about 30, the Sheriff’s Office reported. He is approximately 6 feet to 6 feet, 2 inches tall, of thin build and has short brown-to-dark-brown hair, a mustache and possibly a scruffy beard or is unshaven. It is possible that his left cheek is puffy. He was wearing a brown jacket (possibly a sport jacket with an open-collared shirt underneath) and blue jeans.

Anyone with any information as to the possible identity of this suspect or who have had a similar case or can provide any other information regarding this incident is requested to contact Sheriff Wade Magers at the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, 509-725-3501.