Police find no evidence child was abducted in West Seattle

SEATTLE -- Police on Thursday investigated a report of an unconfirmed child abduction near West Seattle's Gatewood Elementary School after a student there reported she thought she saw a man kidnapping a child. At 7:43 p.m., The Seattle Police Department said, "At this point officers have not found any evidence that a crime occurred."

The principal of Gatewood Elementary School called 911 just before 1 p.m. after a 6-year-old student reported she thought she saw a man duct-taping and putting a girl in a large silver pickup truck behind the school on Frontenac Street.

The child described the man as wearing a black robe and blue jeans and was in his 30s to 40s. The possible victim was described as a girl wearing a pink shirt, between 6-12 years old.

Shortly after the 911 call, the principal was able to do a head count and all students were accounted for in the building.  That was a major relief for moms like Angela Valdespino, who rushed to the school to check on her two children.

“I was panicked, of course, and came and they let me pop my head in their classrooms and check on my friends’ kids who are at work right now to make sure they’re safe,” said Valdespino.

The principal sent an automated message to parents explaining that the school went on lockdown for a period of time until all students were accounted for.  He also reminded parents to be extra vigilant and not drop their kids off in the morning until after 8:15 a.m. when there are staff members outside on duty.

Police say there have been no calls into 911 of a missing child, but they still took this report seriously, looking for and pulling over any silver trucks matching this description.

Parents in West Seattle have been on edge in recent weeks with six separate reports of men flashing and touching themselves in front of children in the area.  The most recent was outside Westside School on Tuesday.