A MAN feared to have been trying to abduct a 13-year-old boy at Redland Bay has turned out to be a father trying to get information about school buses.
Police have confirmed that no attempted abduction occurred when the boy was approached by a man at a Redland Bay bus stop on Monday.
Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Christopher Lafferty from the Bayside Child Protection and Investigation Unit said investigators had identified and spoken to all parties involved.
“We have determined that no attempted abduction occurred,” he said.
It is understood that the man was a father who had approached several children and a bus driver in an attempt to get information about the school bus timetable.
The boy’s mother posted on social media that her son had been approached by a man at a bus stop on Serpentine Creek Road.
She told the Redland City Bulletin that the man got out of the car after stopping on the side of the road next to the bus stop.
She said the man had called the boy to come to him, prompting her son to run away.
Detective Senior Sergeant Lafferty said the investigation had found there was no risk to the safety and wellbeing of the public and Redland Bay residents.
“The Queensland Police Service would like to thank all members of the community who provided valuable information that assisted in this investigation,” he said.
The women’s post on social media was shared thousands of times and posted in local Facebook groups, sparking fears among parents.
One woman posted on social media that she had texted her high school children telling them to stay together and scream their loudest if a car approached them.
“It’s getting to the point where we won’t be able to offer our kids the same freedom we had growing up because it’s just not worth the risk,” another said.
