Man jailed after ‘tug of war’ over child at daycare

UPDATE @ 4:52 p.m.

The Imagination Station Learning Center released a statement to concerned parents. The learning center states the suspect “reached over the fence and picked up a toddler.”

The suspect, Walter Townsend, is not a relative of any child at the daycare. He has been trespassed from the property.

“The center will remain on high alert, as always, concerning the supervision and safety of our children,” reads the statement. “The center will install cameras to view the property to ensure the safest environment possible for our children.”

EARLIER REPORT

An Eaton man is in Preble County Jail, charged with abduction at a daycare.

Eaton police Officer David Sizemore said Walter Townsend, 56, is facing charges of abduction and criminal trespass.

The incident happened just after 10 a.m. Monday at Imagination Station at 200 Washington Jackson Road.

Townsend allegedly approached the fenced playground area and was speaking to daycare workers about a cat. Sizemore said some of the children walked over and one child — a 2-year-old female — started climbing the fence.

Sizemore said a “tug of war” broke out between the daycare worker and the suspect. The suspect claimed he didn’t want the child to fall over and had no intentions of hurting the child.

The female child was not injured in the incident.

Townsend, who lives near the daycare, did cooperate with police and never tried to flee the area, Sizemore said.

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