Young girl taken while walking to school, police say

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - A young girl was taken against her will on Thursday while walking to school, according to Memphis Police Department and Memphis-Shelby County Schools.

Police now say the victim was sexually assaulted by her abductor.

The alleged abduction happened at the corner of Silver Street and Ethlyn Avenue — not far from Hamilton Pre-K, Hamilton Elementary, and Hamilton High Schools — around 10 a.m.

MSCS did not specify which school the child goes to or her age.

MSCS says the child was later released and told police she was taken against her will.

“Me being a mother of all these kids, I don’t wish that on nobody,” said Hamilton K-8 parent Jameka Quinn.

Hamilton K-8 and Hamilton High School parents woke up to a message from the district Friday morning, a student taken against her will while walking to school on Thursday.

“That’s scary,” said Hamilton K-8 parent Laverne Williamson. “It’s scary. It’s unsafe and it’s really scary. I will be on the lookout more and look more harder. Once they say something is happening, you kind of let your guard down and now we have to pick him back up.”

Laverne Williamson’s sixth grader goes to Hamilton K-8. She says she wasn’t aware of Thursday’s abduction but remembers being notified by the district about a similar incident in March.

“Once they say something is happening, you kind of let your guard down and now we have to pick it back up,” said Williamson.

In March, the district told parents a man had been driving around the area... attempting to pick up students against their will.

“I was worried because It could’ve be my child,” said Hamilton K-8 parent Keith Threatt. “I just don’t know what to say about all this.”

Police say the abduction happened near Ethlyn and Silver Streets less than half a mile from Hamilton K-8 and half a mile from Hamilton High School.

Keith Threatt, who was notified via text, hopes the kidnapper is caught.

But some parents want more from the school district.

“There needs to be more security,” said Williamson. “In the evening time, you don’t see, there’s no officers. There’s no security. You need more security out here with these kids.”

Jameka Quinn echoes that call, fearing another child could be next.

“They need more security,” said Quinn. “They need more people that are responsible and reliable and hands on deck, because if you’re not protecting our youth, then who will?”

The suspect is believed to have been driving a black SUV. No arrest has been made at this time.

If you know anything that may assist the investigation, call Crime Stoppers at 901-528-CASH.

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