The Hall County Sheriff’s Office has suspended its investigation into an alleged attempted child abduction after the 12-year-old who made the claim recanted her story, the sheriff’s office says.
The girl originally reported the incident to authorities Thursday morning, saying a man tried to abduct her while she was waiting for her school bus on East Main Street at Old Cornelia Highway. The Hall County Sheriff’s Office launched a full-scale investigation into the report, involving multiple units including the Uniform Patrol Division, Criminal Investigations Bureau, K9 teams, Intelligence Unit and Drone Unit. They also worked with the Gainesville Police Department and Georgia State Patrol.
However, during a forensic interview with investigators late Thursday afternoon, the girl recanted her story, saying no one attempted to abduct her. She told investigators she became scared after a neighbor verbally greeted her from his porch and ran home. The girl then made up the story, the sheriff’s office says.
The sheriff’s office says no charges will be pursued in the case. They’re working to provide care and services to the child and her family.
“While this was an unfortunate situation, the important things to remember are that the child is safe and there isn’t a kidnapper at large,” says Sheriff Gerald Couch. “I would like to thank members of the community for keeping their eyes open throughout the day and also our deputies, investigators and law enforcement partners for their diligent work.”
