A grandmother in Huntington, West Virginia, thwarted an alleged child abduction Tuesday morning when she confronted a stranger police say walked onto her property and tried to take her 6-year-old grandson.
James Waller, 33, is currently held at the Western Regional Jail and Correctional Facility on attempted abduction and kidnapping charges, jail records reviewed by Law&Crime show.
Background
Gina Algeo was outside her home along Blue Bell Lane near Route 10 in Huntington when the incident occurred. The city sits in West Virginia's northern panhandle, bordering Ohio and Kentucky.
"I stood up, and I said, 'you need to put my grandson down,' and he kept walking, so I got louder and louder," Algeo recounted to WSAZ, a regional NBC affiliate.
Algeo told the man she would shoot him if he did not release the child. When she threatened to call 911, police say Waller dropped the boy and fled the property.
"We have no idea who he is; we've never seen him before," said Courtnee Allen, the child's mother, who was at work during the incident. "Why would anybody wanna take a child that's not theirs?"
The Investigation
Law enforcement officers located Waller nearby and arrested him shortly after the alleged attempted abduction, according to authorities.
Waller faces charges of attempted abduction and kidnapping in connection with the incident. Police have not disclosed any prior relationship between Waller and the victim's family.
The boy's mother told WSAZ she had never seen Waller before the alleged attack on her own child.
"It's very concerning," Huntington police said in a statement to local media. "We take these allegations extremely seriously."
Key Takeaways
- James Waller, 33, is charged with attempted abduction and kidnapping after allegedly approaching a 6-year-old boy in Huntington, West Virginia
- The grandmother confronted the suspect when she saw him pick up her grandson on Blue Bell Lane near Route 10
- Police say Waller released the child only after the grandmother threatened to call 911
- Officers arrested Waller nearby following the incident
- Waller is being held at Western Regional Jail and Correctional Facility without bond pending court proceedings
What's Next
Waller is expected to appear in Cabell County Circuit Court for a preliminary hearing. Prosecutors have not yet indicated whether they will seek additional charges as the investigation continues.
The case remains under active investigation by Huntington Police Department investigators.