Father reports woman tried to take child in Orchards parking lot

11:01 AM PDT on Friday, October 9, 2009

By SCOTT BURTON and kgw.com Staff

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- Clark County deputies were looking for a woman who may have tried to take a toddler in an Orchards store parking lot.


Possible kidnapping attempt Surveillance video shows James Freimuth walking out of the Orchards Fred Meyer with 15-month-old James junior in his shopping cart.

Twenty-two seconds later a woman can be seen exiting behind them. The video's grainy, but Freimuth won't soon forget her.

"Late 50s early 60s. She's got brownish hair. It's graying. She had on a black shirt and slacks they were high waters..and she had these bright red socks," recalls Freimuth.

Just yards from the front door, James began the process of loading his van. He didn't realize anyone was behind him.

"I had him sitting in the grocery cart and I went up to the front to unlock the doors so I could take him to the side and as soon as I came back, that's when that lady appeared and came up and grabbed the cart."

When the woman saw him, James said she quickly let go of the cart and walked away.

"She walked up and started going through other cars."

Startled, James put junior in the van and to his surprise the woman came back.

"I asked her 'are you like parking lot security or do you work for the store or anything' and she said 'Oh I get that all the time' and then she kind of smirked at me. Then she started to walk off and I said 'do you make it your business to mess with other people's kids?'"

Alone with his son, Freimuth didn't give chase. Instead he called his wife and police. Investigators wonder if kidnapping was the woman's real motivation or if she's suffering mentally. Freimuth is firm in his belief.

"It was obvious yeah. She definitely knew what she was doing. Why she was doing it I don't know, but I definitely had the feeling that she was trying to take him."

Mental issues or calculated kidnapper, police want to find this woman. If you recognize her description, you're asked to call the Clark County Sheriff's Office.

wow

shame shame

There are more than her out there. Parents need to continue to be vigilant and keep their kids in their sights all the time. I don't even leave my 9 yr old in my vehicle when I go into a convenient store. It's NOT worth losing your child.

Insane or not people like that need to be stopped.