Middle schooler fabricated story about attempted kidnapping, Fort Worth police say

Fort Worth police have determined a child made up a story about an attempted kidnapping Wednesday near Hillwood Middle School.

The Keller school district told parents Wednesday that there had been an attempted child abduction along Parkwood Hill Boulevard.

But Officer Ivan Gomez said Thursday that Fort Worth police have determined the incident was fabricated by the student who reported it.

In an email to parents, the district had said a parent reported to Fort Worth police Wednesday that a man tried to lure a Hillwood student into a car at about 4:15 p.m., saying the child’s mother had sent him to pick up the student.

The girl said she refused to get in the car, and the man tried to grab her before she ran away, the district told parents.

In the email, the district urged parents to talk with their children about how to safely deal with strangers. Advice included:

• When approached by a stranger, run to the nearest trusted adult.
• If the stranger follows, run while screaming, “Stranger Danger!”
• Walk in groups to and from school or the bus stop.
• Don’t accept rides without a parent’s permission.
• Stick to the route agreed upon with parents and favor main roadways.

This story was originally published September 5, 2019 at 1:01 PM.