Woman tries kidnapping child at fair, MD cops say. Family and bystanders step in

Miami Herald

2 days ago

A child nearly kidnapped at a Maryland county fair was kept safe by his family, fairgoers and the event's employees after they 'intervened without hesitation,' a sheriff's office said.
On-duty deputies at the Queen Anne's County 4-H Fair took action at about 6 p.m. on Aug. 11, when they learned of the abduction attempt, according to an Aug. 12 news release shared by the county sheriff's office.
Then four people were taken into custody, including 28-year-old Alexandra Kay Dawson, who is now charged with kidnapping a child under 16, authorities said.
The three others had visited the fair with Dawson and were with her 'throughout the evening,' according to the sheriff's office.
But they were released after the sheriff's office said investigators confirmed they 'had no involvement in the crime.'
Dawson, of Church Hill, was the only person trying to kidnap the child, according to authorities. She was also charged with disorderly conduct and second-degree assault.
It is not immediately clear whether she has legal representation.
At the fair, according to court documents reviewed by WBOC TV, Dawson tried to pull the boy away from his grandmother, whom he had been holding hands with while they were inside a goat barn.
Then Dawson picked him up and put 'a baseball hat on his head,' the TV station reported, citing court records.
As she tried to take the boy away, Dawson and his grandmother got into a struggle until a man at the fair grabbed ahold of Dawson's arm and stopped her from leaving the area, court documents say, according to WBOC TV.
It was the first day of the county fair, which is held in Centreville, about a 30-mile drive east from Annapolis on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
According to the sheriff's office, other bystanders also helped prevent Dawson from fleeing before authorities apprehended her at the event.
In a statement, Queen Anne's County Sheriff Gary Hofmann commended everyone involved in protecting the child.
'The quick thinking and immediate actions of child's family, community members, and fair staff, combined with the pre-coordinated safeguards and emergency response protocols established by the Sheriff's Office and the (fair board), allowed our deputies to respond within moments,' Hofmann said.
Now detectives are investigating additional 'reports of unwanted contact with children at the fair,' the sheriff's office said in the release.
The reports have not yet been confirmed, according to authorities.
Dawson is being held without bond, the sheriff's office said.
After the agency posted the news of the abduction attempt to Facebook, the release garnered several reactions, including more than 1,000 comments as of the afternoon of Aug. 13.
'Someone didn't play when it came to that baby,' Facebook user Kat Steele commented. 'Takes a village.'