Mercer Island child luring suspect arrested in WA

Mercer Island attempted child luring suspect arrested in WA

Police arrested a Kent man for an attempted child abduction that happened in Mercer Island earlier this summer.

MERCER ISLAND, Wash. - Police arrested a Kent man for an attempted child abduction that happened in Mercer Island in early June.

According to the Mercer Island Police Department (MIPD), on June 5, two children reported that a man driving a Toyota Prius on the south end of Mercer Island offered them a stuffed animal and attempted to coax them closer to his vehicle. The children declined and immediately informed their mother.

The MIPD states that through joint efforts from the responding officers, the involved family, and tips from the community, detectives identified enough leads to locate the suspect in Kent, Washington.

Detectives collected additional evidence during their search to solidify the case.

On Aug. 6, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office formally filed charges based on the investigation's findings, and the King County Superior Court issued an arrest warrant for the suspect.

On Aug. 18, officers with the Bellevue Police Department found and arrested the suspect.

Additional details have not been disclosed.