Press Release from the Ava Police Department:
Today, June 6th, at approximately 3:00pm officers with the Ava Police department and Deputies with the Douglas County Sheriffs Office, were dispatched to the Casey’s North gas station, in response to a situation involving a female juvenile and an adult male. Officers arrived on scene and met with the juvenile, who was being looked after by Caseys employees and another female citizen.
At no time during the interview with the juvenile did she ever state that the Adult male tried to grab her or touch her. The juvenile did state that the adult male had offered to give her money to buy a Gatorade.
Officers reviewed CCTV footage with Caseys Management. The footage showed the juvenile come into the store where she asked an employee for water because she was hot, which the employee provided the juvenile. The adult male was standing in line during this conversation. The adult male exited the store as well as the juvenile. The adult male placed his items in his car and it was at this time, that he asked the juvenile if she wanted money for a gatorade. The juvenile immediately ran inside the store and located an employee.
The male re-entered the store and asked if the juvenile was ok because she seemed distraught.
Officers were able to make contact with the Adult male for questioning. During the interview of the adult male, he stated that he had offered to give the juvenile money to buy a Gatorade because when she came into the store she was red faced and she made a statement about needing water because she was hot. The adult male said he was just trying to be nice, because he was concerned for the juvenile.
The juvenile was transported to her residence and officers spoke with the juveniles mother. Again the juvenile informed her mother of the incident and again not once did she say that the adult male ever tried to grab or touch her. The juvenile did mention that her mother had her watch a stranger danger video, and the video had played a similar scenario.
We are aware that there are already rumors circulating that this was an attempted child abduction. There is no evidence that supports that rumor. The evidence being the juveniles statement and cctv security footage.
We would like to thank the staff at Casey’s for being so vigilant.
And a thank you to the Douglas County Sheriffs Office. This matter wouldn’t have been resolved as quickly if it wasn’t for the working partnership that we have.
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