Pittsburgh Bureau of Police officers responded to a report of a child abducted from Banksville Park into surrounding woods shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday night.
A girl who was at the park with her family said she saw a man near the wood line take a 6- or 7-year-old girl with brown hair, a white shirt and pink dress into the woods.
Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to help search for the girl, including units from every Pittsburgh Police zone, Allegheny County Police, the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office and Pennsylvania State Police. Bloodhounds from the Sheriff’s Office and Pittsburgh Police searched the woods, the State Police helicopter assisted from above, and other local agencies volunteered their services.
Fortunately, after several hours of searching it was determined that the witness misinterpreted what she thought she witnessed. Investigators reached this conclusion when some of the witness details began to change, and because there were no reports of a missing child.
After a thorough search of the area involving several dozen officers, the search terminated after midnight.
Pittsburgh Public Safety and Police are grateful for this best possible outcome, and for the assistance of our partner law enforcement agencies.
Tonight, the City-County Building is illuminated to recognize Poison Prevention Week and the 50th Anniversary of "Mr. Yuk" in partnership with Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.
For questions about the lighting at the City-County Building, please reach out to the Office of the Mayor.