MADISON COUNTY, Ga. — A Georgia county sheriff’s office now says it has found no evidence of an attempted kidnapping at a local playground. The man arrested at the scene remains in custody on unrelated charges.
On Wednesday, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office said someone reported that a man tried to kidnap a 3-year-old child at the recreation center playground.
At the time, deputies said the child’s parent got them to safety and that the man was still at the scene when they arrived. Investigators said the initial statement from the complainant led responding deputies to believe a kidnapping attempt had occurred.
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The Madison County Sheriff’s Office said its Investigation Division completed multiple interviews and reviewed surveillance video from the recreation department following the July 22 incident.
And on Thursday, the sheriff’s office said the video did not confirm the allegations.
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According to the sheriff’s office, investigators learned the man, identified as Stephen Watts, appeared to be under the influence of an illegal substance and experiencing a possible mental health crisis. Officials said interviews with people familiar with Watts indicated he had been coming down from several days of methamphetamine use.
The sheriff’s office said Watts was placed on an investigative hold at the Madison County Jail on July 22. He remains in custody on an unrelated criminal trespass charge and has pending warrants from another jurisdiction for an alleged probation violation.
After reviewing the interviews, surveillance footage, and consulting with the district attorney’s office, investigators determined the reported kidnapping allegation was false.
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The sheriff’s office said the case file will now be turned over to the District Attorney’s Office for further review.
Earlier this week, Sheriff Michael Moore told the public there was no ongoing threat at the recreation department and asked for patience while investigators worked to determine what happened.
“The Rec Dept. is a safe place for you and your family to enjoy,” Moore said in a previous update.