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Family frightened after kidnapping scare in Brigham City

Posted at 6:31 PM, Oct 30, 2013
and last updated 2013-10-30 20:31:55-04

BRIGHAM CITY, Utah -- A possible kidnapping attempt in Brigham City has the community on alert Wednesday.

It happened Tuesday afternoon, when two kids said an elderly woman gave them a pretty bad scare.

“They’re walking home from Foothill Elementary School, and a white car with an older lady in it pulled up alongside of them and asked if they had any Halloween costumes,” said Lt. Mike Nelsen of the Brigham City Police Department.

The 10-year-old boy said no, but his sister did have one. The elderly lady, as the kids have described her, continued to talk to them and told them she had some costumes.

“She said they could get in the car, she had some they could take a look at, and the boy said, 'No.' and she drove off,” Nelsen said.

Melissa Christensen’s 10-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter knew something was wrong.

“Thank goodness my kids have been taught and they immediately ran,” Christensen said. “They ran clear home, and they ran to the neighbors.”

Neighbors quickly called police. Police said the lady could have had good intentions, but Christensen said whether she meant well or not, her kids are terrified.

“Even today, he’s reliving it and just scared and he didn’t want to go to school,” Christensen said. “They didn’t want to go to bed last night.”

Christensen said she hopes the woman involved realizes the scare she caused.

“If the woman who did that was just trying to be nice and she sees this: Don’t do it again,” Christensen said. “You’ve traumatized children.”

Police aren't taking this lightly, and they said it’s also a good opportunity for parents to talk to their kids about stranger danger, especially right now before Halloween.

Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to call Brigham City Police.