GLADSTONE, Mich. (WZMQ) – Delta County Parks & Recreation has provided new information regarding reports of an attempted child abduction last week.
On Wednesday, Parks Manager Heather LeDuc received a call from a distressed parent who was staying with his children at Pioneer Trail Park. While he was temporarily away from the park, his children encountered another family.
Delta County Parks & Recreation explained in a Monday morning Facebook post, “The family had simply been trying to be kind and friendly to children walking through the campground, and their actions were unfortunately misunderstood.”
After one of the man’s children expressed concern about the incident, he contacted law enforcement. In an interview with WZMQ 19 News, Parks Manager Heather LeDuc described the police response as “immediate.”
“We had three State Police officers, three from the County, and one from the DNR,” she said. “It was really impressive to see how fast the police got in here, how thorough they were in checking the campground and talking to people and making sure that there wasn’t any danger to anyone. I knew, man, we have a special community and we are in good hands.”
Shortly afterward, the father visited the Pioneer Trail Park office to let staff know that the incident was a “misunderstanding.” He apologized to all parties involved for the situation.
“He said one of his daughters really had never been out camping, so this was a new experience for her,” said LeDuc. “The other family was just being kind, and they mistook that as maybe they were trying to cause danger to them. They were just nervous. We appreciate the father for apologizing, and we don’t blame him one bit for what happened.”
LeDuc says safety is Delta County Parks & Recreation’s top priority.
“The right thing that he did was call law enforcement, which is never a bad thing, and then he let us know,” she said. “We check sites all the time. We have name tags. We make sure the people that are here overnight are supposed to be here, and if they’re not, then we look into that. We pride ourselves in having a safe community up here, and the parks are an extension of that.”
LeDuc is thankful that the situation had a positive outcome. She also says Delta County’s parks are designed to be a welcoming place for every guest.
“The family that was showing kindness, we think that is telling of our community,” she said. “Sometimes it can feel strange, but people are excited and happy when they’re here. We appreciate the kindness that was shown.”
Guests with questions about anything they may have seen at Pioneer Trail Park are encouraged to visit the park office or speak with the camp host.
