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March 12, 2008

2 alleged abduction tries put Woonsocket on alert

WOONSOCKET — The police are investigating the attempted abduction of a 15-year-old girl as she walked to school yesterday morning.

Acting Chief Eric. L. Croce said the girl was forced into a car on Elm Street -- not far from Landmark Medical Center and Woonsocket High School -- at about 8:30 a.m. but was able to get out of the car when it slowed for traffic near Wood Street and run for help. She was unhurt.

Yesterday's attempted abduction followed an incident Monday, when an unknown motorist allegedly asked a girl to get into his car. Schools Supt. Maureen Macera says the girl went inside a nearby school instead.

Yesterday morning, the 15-year-old girl was walking down Elm Street when the car approached her near Jervis Street, Croce said. The man started a conversation, asking her questions and when she responded, he stopped the car near Jervis, got out and forced her inside.

The girl was not in the car long enough to have a significant conversation with the man, Croce said. She was able to provide a general description of the man and the car, but didn’t have time to get specifics on the vehicle.

Detective and patrol officers were fanning out over the neighborhood today in an effort to find more information about the man, Croce said. The police are particularly interested in talking to anyone who might have been in the vicinity at the time and seen something. The school department sent a letter home with students that urged parents to talk to their children about the dangers of getting into cars with strangers.

“We ask that all parent/guardians discuss the serious nature of this situation and that if their children are walkers, we ask that the children walk in groups to and from school,” Supt. Maureen Macera said in her letter.

In May 2006, an 8-year-old Woonsocket girl was found dead after prosecutors say her neighbor picked her up in his car and took her to Cranston.

Joshua Davis is set to appear in court next month to face murder charges in the death of Savannah Smith.

-- Journal staff writer John Hill with reports from the Associated Press

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 2:15 PM | Permalink

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carol | March 12, 2008 8:08 PM link

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