Mackinac Co. Investigators Searching For Man After Attempted Child Abduction

"There are bad people and it does happen everywhere," Mackinac County Undersheriff Ed Wilk said.

It’s a startling incident that could have ended very differently.

Mackinac County deputies say a man tried to kidnap a 12-year-old boy.

The boy was walking home near school.

That’s when deputies say a man pulled up in his SUV asking the boy to help him find his lost dog.

Mackinac County deputies say attempted kidnapping happened Monday afternoon in Engadine.

9 & 10’s Blayke Roznowski and photojournalist Noah Jurik sat down with investigators as they try to find out who this man is.

The 12-year-old’s mother tells us that when her son was approached by a man in an SUV, he knew something wasn’t right.

"Inquiring about if this boy had seen his dog or could help him find his dog and the boy said no and the guy saying why don’t you come and get inside my vehicle," Undersheriff Wilk said.

The boy’s mother says he ran to her apartment and she called 9-1-1.

The boy described the man as 45 to 60 years old, salt and pepper hair with a scar on his face driving a dark-colored older Dodge Durango. 

"It’s a sad situation, but we’re very happy that nothing bad happened, that the child made it home safely," Undersheriff Wilk said.

Investigators say a Luce County deputy pulled over a man with a similar description and SUV, but determined it was not the same man.

With a potential child abductor on the loose, other parents in the area are on edge.

"I was very shocked," a parent Cindy Stephenson said. "My stomach actually did flip flops because I thought it was a local kid that I knew."

It’s a big reminder to have a conversation with kids about how to stay safe.

"My son is 10 and I made sure he was alert of what was happening," Stephenson said. "Told him do not get into any vehicle for any reason."

You can reach the Mackinac County Sheriffs Office tip line at 906-643-1165.