NewsCalifornia News

Actions

Sex offender tries to kidnap 2 kids at Lake Elsinore park, held down by family, bystanders

Posted
and last updated

LAKE ELSINORE (ABC30) -- A registered sex offender was taken into police custody after allegedly trying to kidnap two small children from a park in Lake Elsinore on Monday.

The frightening incident occurred around 11:30 a.m.

Police said 29-year-old Marcus Dewitt tried to grab a 3-year-old boy by the arm while the child was partially inside of a play apparatus at Rosetta Canyon Sports Park.

When Dewitt was unsuccessful in taking that child, he picked up a 4-year-old boy and attempted to flee the area with the child, police said.

Investigators said the children's parents saw what was happening, chased Dewitt and wrestled the boy away from him.

That's when Dewitt tried to flee the park on foot, but a family member of one of the victims subdued him. Other witnesses and family members also held him down and subdued him until police officers arrived and took him into custody.

The children were not injured in the incident, authorities said.

*Original story by ABC30.

,

Weather

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

Monday

04/28/2025

Partly Cloudy

73° / 54°

0%

Tuesday

04/29/2025

Sunny

84° / 59°

1%

Wednesday

04/30/2025

AM Clouds/PM Sun

86° / 60°

1%

Thursday

05/01/2025

Mostly Sunny

86° / 63°

0%

Friday

05/02/2025

Sunny

89° / 60°

2%

Saturday

05/03/2025

PM Showers

71° / 49°

42%

Sunday

05/04/2025

Partly Cloudy

66° / 51°

13%

Monday

05/05/2025

Partly Cloudy

74° / 53°

2%