Authorities Seek Leads on Possible Attempted Child Abductions

After several reports of apparent attempts at child abduction in Champaign-Urbana, authorities say the latest incident they have learned about may have been an innocent encounter.

All the same, they are asking the public’s help in connection with an incident that took place Monday afternoon southwest Champaign, in which a man in a car tried to make contact with a 7-year-old girl.

The incident occurred as the girl was getting off her school bus near the intersection of Park Lane and Bedford Drive, just north of the Champaign-Savoy border. According to the sheriff’s department, the girl ran away after the man opened his car door and asked her for help, apparently with a cell phone he was displaying to her.

Sheriff's authorities describe the man as between his late teens and 30 years of age. His skin tone may suggest he is of some Hispanic or Asian heritage. He was wearing a red shirt and blue ball cap with brown or dark hair protruding under the bill of the cap. He was seen driving a dark blue 4-door car.

Authorities say that if the encounter was an innocent one, the man should contact the Champaign County Sheriff’s office. They are asking anyone with knowledge of the incident to contact the Sheriff’s Department at 217-384-1213 or contact Champaign County Crime Stoppers.