A 38-year-old woman has now been indicted, accused of attempting to abduct a young girl from a Clermont County playground.Crystal Harrison, of Batavia Township, has been indicted on charges of attempted kidnapping and abduction in connection to a Sept. 15 incident that happened at a playground near her apartment.According to officials with the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office, a woman pulled a 4-year-old girl from a swing set and carried her over to an empty stroller.It happened just before 7:30 p.m. at a playground in the 700 block of University Lane.Witnesses told deputies arriving on the scene that an unknown woman walked up to the swing set, removed the young from the swing and carried her over to the stroller. The woman put the child down in an attempt to prepare the stroller, officials said, and the 4-year-old girl quickly ran away."It’s extremely frightening,” said Lara Baron Allen, Clermont County assistant prosecutor. “I think it's every parent's worst nightmare to have a stranger come up to your child, think apparently that it's their own child, or at least pretend that it is, and try and take off with them."After the girl ran away, she ran to nearby children on the playground, telling them what happened, officials said. Those children then began to yell at the woman. Officials say the woman then walked away with her empty stroller, entering a nearby apartment building. A 14-year-old witness apparently followed the woman to her apartment, watched which unit she entered, and then called 911."I think the other kids who are out on the playground when this occurred were extremely important to saving this little girl. I truly think all of them are heroes," Baron Allen said."They started screaming. They started being proactive, yelling, ‘Put her down! You're not her mom, you can't take her!’ And I think that kind of changed the dynamic of the situation, allowing this little girl to go free."Authorities said the witness accounts are backed up by surveillance video, which show a woman lift a child from a swing and carry that child to a nearby stroller.Officials with the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office said they were able to identify Harrison in connection to the incident from witness accounts and surveillance video. Harrison denied removing the child from the swing, which contradicted witness accounts and surveillance video that was provided by the apartment complex, officials with the sheriff’s office said.Harrison is not related to the child or any member of the child’s family.The girl was uninjured. Harrison is currently being held at the Clermont County Jail without bond.During an appearance in Clermont County Municipal Court on Tuesday, Harrison pleaded guilty, in an unrelated case, to walking along Interstate 275 and having a marijuana pipe. During an exchange with Magistrate Anita Bechmann, Harrison made it clear she's not raising any children."Are you raising a family at all, ma'am?" Bechmann asked."No," Harrison said.Baron Allen said she knows Harrison's home life could play a role during future court proceedings, but at this point, she said all she cares about is that the 4-year-old girl never ended up in the stroller Harrison was seen pushing."That's the most important thing, is that this little girl was released safely," Baron Allen said.
A 38-year-old woman has now been indicted, accused of attempting to abduct a young girl from a Clermont County playground.
Crystal Harrison, of Batavia Township, has been indicted on charges of attempted kidnapping and abduction in connection to a Sept. 15 incident that happened at a playground near her apartment.
According to officials with the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office, a woman pulled a 4-year-old girl from a swing set and carried her over to an empty stroller.
It happened just before 7:30 p.m. at a playground in the 700 block of University Lane.
Witnesses told deputies arriving on the scene that an unknown woman walked up to the swing set, removed the young from the swing and carried her over to the stroller. The woman put the child down in an attempt to prepare the stroller, officials said, and the 4-year-old girl quickly ran away.
"It’s extremely frightening,” said Lara Baron Allen, Clermont County assistant prosecutor. “I think it's every parent's worst nightmare to have a stranger come up to your child, think apparently that it's their own child, or at least pretend that it is, and try and take off with them."
After the girl ran away, she ran to nearby children on the playground, telling them what happened, officials said. Those children then began to yell at the woman.
Officials say the woman then walked away with her empty stroller, entering a nearby apartment building. A 14-year-old witness apparently followed the woman to her apartment, watched which unit she entered, and then called 911.
"I think the other kids who are out on the playground when this occurred were extremely important to saving this little girl. I truly think all of them are heroes," Baron Allen said.
"They started screaming. They started being proactive, yelling, ‘Put her down! You're not her mom, you can't take her!’ And I think that kind of changed the dynamic of the situation, allowing this little girl to go free."
Authorities said the witness accounts are backed up by surveillance video, which show a woman lift a child from a swing and carry that child to a nearby stroller.
Officials with the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office said they were able to identify Harrison in connection to the incident from witness accounts and surveillance video. Harrison denied removing the child from the swing, which contradicted witness accounts and surveillance video that was provided by the apartment complex, officials with the sheriff’s office said.
Harrison is not related to the child or any member of the child’s family.
The girl was uninjured.
Harrison is currently being held at the Clermont County Jail without bond.
During an appearance in Clermont County Municipal Court on Tuesday, Harrison pleaded guilty, in an unrelated case, to walking along Interstate 275 and having a marijuana pipe. During an exchange with Magistrate Anita Bechmann, Harrison made it clear she's not raising any children.
"Are you raising a family at all, ma'am?" Bechmann asked.
"No," Harrison said.
Baron Allen said she knows Harrison's home life could play a role during future court proceedings, but at this point, she said all she cares about is that the 4-year-old girl never ended up in the stroller Harrison was seen pushing.
"That's the most important thing, is that this little girl was released safely," Baron Allen said.
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