Man drags girl, 16, into woods near Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, school bus stop, police and family say

By Emily Maher, Veronica Haynes, Jamy Pombo Sesselman

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    SHREWSBURY, Massachusetts (WCVB) — Shrewsbury police are investigating after a student was grabbed by an “older” man as she walked home from school Monday evening.

The 16-year-old junior took the late bus home from Shrewsbury High School and was dropped off at Stoney Hill Road at about 5 p.m.

School officials said she was “grabbed by an unknown older male individual” as she was walking with another student along a path in the wooded area of the Cherry Hill/Cherry Street neighborhood.

The girl’s father said the man — described as being in his 50s or 60s with a stocky, heavier build — dragged her about 100 feet into the woods.

“The student reacted immediately, prompting the individual to release her and flee the area,” police said.

A neighbor’s home security cameras captured the moment a girl’s brother and police ran into the woods searching for her, but no suspect was seen on the footage.

“We looked back because my camera records days, we saw nothing like anybody going down from this side,” neighbor Richard Daverio said. “But then, again, there’s another street down that gets you to the same place and around the pond that gets you to the same place.”

Shrewsbury police said it conducted a comprehensive search of the area using drones, K-9 units and officers but did not find the suspect.

Shrewsbury police said they are actively investigating the incident and will be increasing their presence in the area.

In a statement to families, Shrewsbury Schools asked families to “remind your children about your rules regarding safety and strangers and to report anything unusual to you or an adult at school immediately.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Shrewsbury Police Department at 508-841-8577.

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