Attempted student abduction at Michigan school bus stop

Police are investigating an attempted abduction of a girl from a school bus stop and a similar occurrence that took place days later. Both incidents involved a suspect trying to lure students into a minivan.

Staff Writer・Editorial

Read Staff's Posts

December 11, 2015

2 min to read

NORTON SHORES, Mich. — Police are investigating an attempted abduction of a student from a school bus stop on Tuesday as well as a similar suspicious occurrence that took place days later. Both incidents involved a suspect driving a white minivan.

The Norton Shores Police Department reports in a press release that investigators interviewed a 12-year-old student from Mona Shores Public Schools regarding a suspicious vehicle possibly related to a previous attempted abduction on Tuesday.

A suspicious incident occurred on Thursday in Norton Shores at 2:50 p.m. while the student was walking home from school. She reported that a subject was following her very slowly in a white minivan. The student said the van was very close behind her and when she turned around, the occupant of the van motioned from inside the vehicle for her to come back towards the van. The student immediately ran to her residence. The incident was reported at 6:40 p.m.

The van was reported to be a white minivan with rust on the hood. The student was unable to see into the van other than the arm motioning to her, and was unable to give a description of the driver.

On Tuesday, investigators interviewed another student, 15, who also attends a school in the Mona Shores Public Schools district, regarding a possible attempted abduction that day at 11 a.m. that also occurred in Norton Shores.

The student reported that a man tried to lure her into his vehicle at the bus stop. The student said that she was waiting at the bus stop when a man, who was described as African-American, in his 40s, mostly bald and with a scruffy beard and large build, wearing a dark T-shirt, and with a deep voice, pulled up to her in a white minivan with rust over the passenger side rear wheel. The subject asked for her to come over to the vehicle and she refused. He then told her if she did not get in the vehicle they would have a problem. The school bus then started to pull up and the van left the scene.

Authorities asked for anyone with information or similar sightings about the incident to obtain a license plate number if possible and call the Norton Shores Police Department or Silent Observer at 231-72-CRIME (722-7463).

The police department has also released this safety reminder video with tips for parents and students.