Emily Kushel and Carissa Codell
7 hours ago
SPRINGFIELD, Missouri — The suspect in an attempted child abduction at Walmart on West Grand Street in Springfield Sunday afternoon has been identified as 58-year-old Nelson Vrana.
Vrana is charged with attempted kidnapping of a child, a class B felony, according to court documents.
According to the probable cause statement, Vrana approached the child while she was standing near the father in the self-checkout line, lifted her up under his shoulders and said, “You’re coming with me.”
Mr. Vrana then attempted to take the child to his car, but the child’s father stopped him and grabbed the child from Mr. Vrana. Vrana then got out to his car and tried to leave, but the child’s father approached him, according to the statement.
Witnesses said Vrana told the child’s father, “Brother, bring it to me.” Whatever you want to do. ”
Vrana then left the parking lot, but not before the child’s father was able to obtain a description of the car and part of the license plate number and provide it to police.
SPD officers reviewed surveillance footage that showed a man approaching the child and grabbing him by the armpits.
Officers were able to track Vrana’s car and question him about the incident. Initially, he denied being at Walmart. However, after his arrest, the man told investigators that the incident was a misunderstanding and that he had picked up the child as he was running away from his parents toward the entrance of the building.
The man denied trying to kidnap the child, but said he picked it up because he was afraid the child would run out of the store and cause harm.
But when told that there was surveillance footage of the child standing next to the parent and not running away, Vrana could not explain why she had picked up the child.
Aaron and Mindy Huffman were shocked to see news reports about the arrest. They say something similar happened the day before at another Walmart.
“I hit the floor because that could have been my son,” Mindy Huffman said. “Many say God was watching over him, and I know that. But there are others who are not so lucky, and that breaks my heart.”
The Huffmans were at Walmart on South Campbell Avenue when their son needed to use the bathroom.
“As we were going into the bathroom, a guy came out of one of the stalls and said, ‘Oh, it’s a mess in there.’ We have to clean it up,” Aaron Huffman said. .
Aaron Huffman said his son was washing his hands when the man started talking to them again.
“That’s when I realized the guy never returned to the store to clean,” Aaron Huffman said. “He just stood there and watched.”
The man said he had a present for Huffman’s son, and gave the 5-year-old a plastic pumpkin with a sticker inside.
“This might be the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen happen in a bathroom, some random guy handing something out to a 5-year-old boy,” Aaron Huffman said.
The Huffmans say the man who approached their son looked similar to Vrana’s photo.
When contacted, Springfield police said they are investigating the Huffmans’ case but could not comment on whether the suspects are the same person.
“It breaks my heart that I have to be so careful with my mother right now,” Mindy Huffman said.
Vrana is being held without bond.