Two Portsmouth children narrowly escaped a kidnap attempt on Sunday afternoon, and it turns out the suspect has a long arrest record including a recent bust for public indecency.
On Sunday, two kids ages 7 and 10 were walking home from the Sunset Bowling Lanes on 17th Street. Police say their mother was nearby waiting and watching for them.
A strange woman approached the children, then bent down to get their attention. She patted the 7-year-old’s pants pockets and then grabbed him by the arm and attempted to walk away with him. According to the victims, the woman said, “I won’t hurt you.”
The quick-thinking 10-year-old brother pulled on his brother’s hand to free him from the woman’s grasp. The two ran back into the bowling alley to get help.
PPD officers were able to locate the woman walking away from the area. A detective said the children were physically unharmed but shaken up by the incident.
Police arrested Rachael Anne Enriquez, age 52, of Cedar St. In New Boston. Enriquez has a long history of arrests.
Back on August 7, she was picked up for public indecency and probation violation. In May of this year, police charged her with probation violation and failure to appear, and she was arrested on those same charges in April. Ms. Enriquez spent a good chunk of 2020 behind bars for driving under the influence. She’s also been picked up for soliciting, theft, domestic violence, drug possession, and endangering children.
This time, Police charged her with one count of kidnapping and with probation violation and booked her into the Scioto County Jail for the 16th time. She was held without bond.
Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman said the quick arrest was the result of the joint effort between the Portsmouth Police Department, the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victim’s Unit, and the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office.
