Composite Sketch Released of Attempted Abduction Suspect

The Lexington County Sheriff’s Department on Wednesday released a composite sketch of a two 13-year-old girls and one 9-year-old girl from a mobile home park near West Columbia on Jan. 6.

Detectives say the man attempted to kidnap the three girls while they were playing with friends outside their residences at the mobile home park at 3941 Charleston Highway around 7:30 p.m., Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts said.

Witnesses told deputies that the man who tried to kidnap the girls was in his 30s, Metts said.

The witnesses describe the man as either white or Hispanic, with lightly colored skin, was between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet, and weighed between 170 and 190 pounds. The man was unshaven and had dark hair cut very short.

The man also was described as wearing eyeglasses as well as a black jacket and dark colored blue jeans.

Police say a man stopped his vehicle and spoke with the two 13-year-old girls at the rear of the mobile home park, Metts said. While speaking with the girls, the man tried to lure the two girls into his vehicle but the two girls refused to get in.

Metts said the same man drove his vehicle to a playground at the mobile home park.

The man stopped and exited the vehicle then grabbed the 9-year-old trying to pull her inside his vehicle.

At the time of the incident, the girl was playing with friends outside her home, Metts said.

A friend of the 9-year-old girl began screaming when the man grabbed the 9-year-old girl, he said.

The man let the girl go and jumped back in his vehicle before driving away.

Witnesses describe the vehicle as a gray or blue four-door, older model sedan.

The front driver’s side window had tape on it and the paint on the sedan’s body appeared to be chipped or faded. Boxes and other items filled the rear passenger seat of the sedan.

Anyone with any information about the attempted abduction can call the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department at 803-785-8230 or CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC. Citizens also can provide information anonymously by accessing the Crime Tip link on the Sheriff’s Department website.