‘Suspicious' Man Tried to Sign Student Out of South Elgin School: Principal

UPDATE: Officials at the school said Thursday the "suspicious" incident that authorities believed may have been a potential abduction attempt turned out to be an "honest mistake." Read more here

Police are investigating after a "suspicious" man attempted to sign a student out of a south Elgin middle school but left when he could not produce identification Tuesday, the principal said in a letter to parents.

The man showed up at Kenyon Woods Middle School about 9:45 a.m. and was buzzed into the main office for verification. He was asked for ID but didn't show one and then immediately left the building, according to principal Lisa Olsem's letter.

"Please be assured that this person never left the front office," Olsem wrote. "He did not enter any academic areas. All U-46 safety and security protocols were adhered to and the School Resource Officer, Detective Cooper, was notified immediately and began a cooperative investigation into the suspicious incident."

The parents of the student the visitor attempted to sign out were contacted by the school, Olsem said. She said there is no risk to any students or staff and "strict safety protocols will continue to be followed."

Dena Fagan is the mother of the 14-year-old the man is said to have tried to take out of the school.

"My husband called and said somebody tried to pick up our daughter from school today claiming that they needed to take her for an eye doctor appointment," she said, adding that he gave the student's first and last name.

Fagan said her daughter is "freaked out."

"Is he specifically after my daughter?" she asked. "Or after any young girl willing to go?"

South Elgin Deputy Police Chief Randy Endean said technically no crime was committed, but it's being investigated as a "suspicious incident."

The school urges anyone with information about the incident to call the South Elgin Police Department at 847-741-2151.

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