South Ogden Police Investigating Two Reports Of Attempted Kidnapping

SOUTH OGDEN, Utah — Police were investigating two separate incidents of attempted kidnapping reported by parents in South Ogden.

The First Report

The first incident was reported near the intersection of Holroyd and Chambers on Friday, April 23, right around the time children were getting off the school bus.

The mother of a 5-year-old girl told police that her daughter was riding a pink scooter on the sidewalk near her South Ogden home when an adult male waved her over and tried to coax her into his vehicle.

“It’s just mind boggling that he would be so daring to do it in the middle of the day,” said the mother.

She said several children were playing in the front yard of her home when the interaction was taking place.

Sgt. David Labbe with the South Ogden Police Department said the mother heard one of the kids yell, prompting her to look up and see the suspect speaking to her daughter while standing next to a darker-colored vehicle that was parked out front.

“I believe he knew the bus route and he’d been scouting out our area for awhile,” the mother said.

“As soon as the driver of this vehicle saw the mother looking at him, he sped off,” said Labbe.

That’s when the mother talked to her daughter and learned the adult male wanted the 5-year-old to get into the car with him.

“He asked her her name and she told him, and then he said, ‘Would you like to get in my car? Do you want to come to my house and play?'” said the mother.

Labbe said the mother quickly called and reported the incident to 911.

The description police were given of the vehicle was a grey Hyundai Accent, between the years 2006 to 2011.

“We believe it’s a GS model, which is a shorter, smaller compact version of the Accent within those years. Dark gray in color. We believe it has hub caps or special rims on the driver side, and then on the passenger side, just black wheels,” said Labbe.

The suspect was described as a white male in his late 20’s to early 30’s, with short brown hair, and wearing black framed glasses with thick lenses.

Anyone with information has been asked to contact the 24 hour dispatch center at 801-629-8221.

The Second Report

The second incident was reported less than two miles away.

A father called South Ogden Police after his 10-year-old son told him an adult male approached the boy at the Burch Creek Park and tried to take him home on Tuesday, April 20.

“He made the statements, ‘Your parents told me to come get you and take you home,’ and the young boy replied back to him and said, ‘No, that’s not the case,'” said Labbe.

The boy ran home and told his father what happened.

A crossing guard witnessed it happen and helped police identify the suspect.

Police said they located Ethan Swisher at the park and booked him into the Weber County Jail, but the suspect in the grey Hyundai still hasn’t been caught.

“I can’t spend time thinking about all of the what-ifs or I’d go crazy,” said the mother of the 5-year-old girl. “He needs to be put away. Keep the kids safe.”