Day-Care Wristband Policy Thwarts Attempted Kidnapping

Man tries to snatch child at health club - Child-care worker noticed immediately something was amiss
2000-04-06
by Jamie Swift
Journal Reporter

BELLEVUE — Police fear a man tried to abduct a 5-year-old girl from the child-care area of Bally Total Fitness in Bellevue on Tuesday night.

The child’s mother left her daughter with a child-care supervisor while she worked out at the fitness center at 3235 148th Ave. S.E. — between Bellevue Community College and Interstate 90.

`A bunch of red flags’

Shortly after 7 p.m. a man approached the child-care supervisor and said he wanted to pick up his daughter.

The girl was the only child under supervision at the time. The man didn’t use the girl’s name, and the supervisor is acquainted with her parents, so she was immediately suspicious.

When the supervisor asked to see the man’s ID bracelet parents are supposed to wear, “He said `I’m sorry’ and walked away nervously,” Bellevue police spokeswoman Marcia Harnden said.

To view full article, go here.