BILLINGS — Police in Columbus said on Friday, September 2, 2022, that reports of an attempted child abduction may have been a case of mistaken identity.
Police said the incident occurred Wednesday shortly before 5 p.m. Police said a young girl was walking home from a nearby business when she was approached by a man driving a vehicle.
The man stopped and said to the girl: "Hey, do you know me, I'm your grandpa," police reported.
The girl immediately ran to the front door of a nearby home and the man drove away.
Law enforcement officers searched the area but was unable to locate a suspect.
Police issued a statement on Facebook on Thursday morning about the incident, requesting residents in the area review their security camera videos for help identifying a suspect.
The mystery may have been solved later Thursday evening when a man contacted police.
The news release states: "The 69 yr old male advised police that he had stopped for what he believed to be was his grand-daughter who was walking down the street. He had not seen his grand-daughter in sometime due to a falling out with family. The driver does not reside in Columbus, but owns property that is up for sale and he had come to work on it."
Police said they are still investigating the man's statement, but added "it appears that this was a case of mistaken identity."
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