XENIA — A Fairborn man was arrested Monday evening after allegedly planning to kidnap a child during a St. Brigid School open house Monday.
Reid Duran, 35, is in the Greene County Jail facing one count each of of attempted kidnapping (a second-degree felony), felonious assault (a first-degree felony), and escape (a second-degree felony). According to Xenia police, Duran had entered St. Brigid on Fairground Road shortly after 6 p.m. and “falsely represented himself as being the parent of one of the children attending the event.”
Police said that when Duran’s claims were found to be false, XPD was contacted. During the course of the investigation, Police said Duran made some “concerning comments” about his reasons for entering the school. Duran agreed to voluntarily come to the Xenia Police Division to speak with detectives about his behavior at St. Brigid. While waiting to be interviewed, police said Duran grabbed a pen and tried to stab a Xenia police officer. The officer was able to defend himself and take Duran into custody without either one being injured.
Duran later admitted that he went to St. Brigid that night for the purpose of kidnapping one of the children — a five-year-old girl — attending the event by giving the victim candy laced with tranquilizers, according to police. Police said there is no evidence Duran knew the student or that he stalked her family and there was no verification that the candy found in his possession at the time of his interaction with police had any drug on it.
After the interview, Duran attempted to escape and had to be physically restrained, police said. He was taken to the Greene County Jail without further incident.
Duran did not give candy to the victim or any child at the school event, according to Xenia police. During the time period that Duran was at St. Brigid School, he was never alone with the victim, and there were people in the kindergarten classroom, and the rest of the building, officials said.
Police credited St. Brigid School Principal Terry Adkins for being “very quick to recognize that Duran was acting in an odd manner, which raised his suspicions, and when he determined that Duran was not the father of the victim, he escorted him out of the building and called police.”
Duran was arraigned in Xenia Municipal Court Wednesday and is being held without bond in the Greene County Jail, police said.
The county prosecutor has filed a motion to deny bond and a hearing on that motion is set for 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 29 in Xenia Municipal Court. A grand jury is set to hear the case Wednesday, Aug. 31.
XPD said the investigation is ongoing but feels there is no danger to the community. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to call the Xenia Police Division Criminal Investigation Section at 937-376-7206 or leave a voicemail at the Xenia Police Tip Line at 937-347-1623. Detective Chris Reed is the lead investigator and can be reached at [email protected].
