Man charged with attempted child abduction after touching kids at Livingston County park
Jeremy Mills (Pinckney Police)
PINCKNEY, Mich. (FOX 2) - A man is facing felony charges after police say he interjected in a game of catch between young children at a Pinckney park and started touching the kids.
Police were contacted during the Food Truck Friday event at Town Square Park on June 21 because 38-year-old Jeremy Mills was allegedly playing with children and making them uncomfortable. He was grabbing, tickling, and holding the children, too.
As police approached Mills, he threw a football at an officer, police said. Mills told police he was a friend of the children's parents, while witnesses heard him tell the kids he was their uncle. Mills did not know the children or their parents.
Through interviews, police said they learned that Mills repeatedly grabbed a young boy, and the boy thought he was going to be kidnapped. When the boy’s parents told the boy to come to them, Mills allegedly blocked his path.
Police said Mills appeared intoxicated and was not cooperative. He resisted handcuffs but was eventually taken into custody. As officers were escorting Mills away, police say he yelled obscenities.
Mills was arrested and charged with numerous crimes, including attempted child abduction and resisting police. He was given a $100,000 cash bond.
"The events held in the downtown area are family oriented, and we have not encountered this level of disruption in the past. We will continue to investigate to ensure that all victims are located and addressed," Pinckney police said in a statement.