SANTA ROSA COUNTY

SHERIFF'S OFFICE

Sheriff Wendell Hall

Suspect Attempts to Kidnap Two Year Old Girl in Navarre

On March 13, 2007 at approximately 1300 hours, Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office Deputies were dispatched to an address on Bandera Drive, Navarre, FL, in reference to an attempted child abduction. The female complainant stated that she was outside of her trailer in her fenced in front yard hanging laundry on a clothes line. Her two year old daughter was present with her in the front yard. The complainant/mother went inside to get more laundry to hang. When she came back outside, her daughter was not present. The complainant began to yell her daughter's name, at which time she heard her daughter screaming back from an area northeast of the residence. The mother then went towards the screams and saw an unknown white male suspect running, while carrying the mother's daughter under his arm like a "football". She ran after the suspect and began to gain distance on him. While she was chasing him, the suspect dropped the child and began to run from the scene. The mother picked up her child and ran back to her house to call law enforcement. The mother described the male as in his early 20's, white, tall slender build, dirty blonde hair; white t-shirt, and blue jeans. He appeared to be unkempt. Numerous deputies arrived and set up a perimeter and began a search of the area. The search of the area was assisted by Okaloosa County Deputies, Escambia County Air Unit, as well as Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office K-9. The search yielded negative results. The female victim was transported to a local hospital to be checked out. The mother stated that she has never seen the suspect prior to this occasion. Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office Crime Scene Technicians arrived to process the scene in an attempt to locate evidence. No suspects are known at this time. No further information is known at this time and the investigation is ongoing. As soon as more information becomes available, another release will be issued. Please do not call for any further details at this time.

Press Release By:

Sgt. Scott Haines

850-981-2136

850-698-4441