Mom foils kidnap attempt at Pike Place Market; suspect in custody

A 65-year-old Seattle man accused of attempting to kidnap a 5-year-old boy at Pike Place Market on Monday was ordered held this afternoon on $250,000 bail.

A King County Superior Court judge also determined there was probable cause to hold the man pending the filing of formal criminal charges.

Just after 11 a.m., the boy's mother stopped to remove a small rock that had become lodged in a cast on her foot, according to Seattle police. Her husband turned to help her and when they looked up, the couple discovered the youngest of their three children was no longer with them.

The family searched for the boy in the crowded market. The mother spotted her child being led away by a man, about 40 feet from where she was, police said. She called to her son and ran to him, with her husband and two other children, ages 6 and 7, close behind.

As the mother approached, the man released his grip on the boy and disappeared into the crowd.

The family flagged down West Precinct bicycle officers and the mother, 5-year-old boy and other witnesses provided a suspect description, according to police. Minutes later, officers found the suspect as he was leaving a men's restroom in the market and arrested him.

The boy told officers the man pulled him away from his family and only released him when his mother came to his rescue. Though upset, the boy wasn't hurt, police said.

The suspect was booked into the King County Jail just before 2 p.m. Monday.

According to a police report, the boy's family is from Santa Clarita, Calif.

Sara Jean Green: 206-515-5654 or sgreen@seattletimes.com

Seattle Times staff reporter Christine Clarridge contributed to this report.