LEESBURG, Fla. – A report of an attempted abduction at Carver Middle School in Leesburg earlier this week was a misunderstanding, according to police.
An 11-year-old girl reported that a man tried to abduct her Tuesday in front of the school, but police said Friday that the incident was unfounded.
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Leesburg police said the man contacted police after media reports about the incident. He said he approached the girl because he thought she was upset and wanted to check on her well-being, according to authorities.
Police said his explanation jibes with surveillance video that captured the incident.
The man has no criminal history and his children attend Carver Middle School, police said.
"The child did exactly what we suggest any child do when they perceive a stranger is approaching them: run away and tell a parent, or trusted adult," police said. "We are pleased to report the child is safe and did exactly what she should have done under the circumstances. We are equally pleased that this concerned parent immediately made contact with our agency in order to quickly resolve what initially appeared to be an extremely concerning incident."
Leesburg police said officers and deputies will maintain a heightened presence in and around all area schools in the coming days.