West Shore RCMP have admitted a mix-up led to them temporarily dismissing a possible child abduction attempt as a family issue.
On October 26, the Sooke School District sent a letter home to parents warning about a potential danger after a 12-year-old girl reported being approached by a man in a vehicle who yelled at her to get in. It happened while she was walking home the afternoon prior to the letter being sent to parents.
Nearly three weeks after the first report was made, Mounties incorrectly said the attempted abduction of the child was actually a parental and mental health issue, not a case involving a stranger.
Police are now saying they got two different cases mixed up.
“The suspicious stranger incident is still under investigation with police following up on several leads using specialized units of the RCMP,” said spokesperson Cpl. Chris Dovell.
“We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.”
