VISTA–The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department released a video of an attempted kidnapping of a two-year-old child from a vehicle at a Costco parking lot in Vista.
On September 19, the surveillance video captured a man opening the rear vehicle door and attempting to remove a 2-year-old child while the vehicle was backing up from the parking stall. A woman jumps out of the vehicle and confronts the man. Later, another man from the vehicle chases after the suspect.
The incident drew a crowd and a physical confrontation occurred between the father and Glavinic. An off-duty Sheriff’s Department employee and other witnesses intervened, separating the two until deputies from the Vista Sheriff’s Station arrived on the scene.
The suspect, Adam Glavinic, 37 was arrested for attempted kidnapping and being under the influence of a controlled substance. He was booked into the Vista Detention Facility. Glavinic later posted $100,00 bail and was released from jail.
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department released a statement on the incident:
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and Vista Sheriff’s Station are aware of social media posts and community concerns following a report of an attempted kidnapping. Deputies were called to a store parking lot on Hacienda Drive on Saturday, September 19th. The parents told deputies a man opened the back-passenger door of their SUV as they were backing out of a spot. Their two-year-old child was in the backseat.
During the follow up investigation, detectives located surveillance video of the incident. This case has now been submitted to the District Attorney’s Office for review. The Sheriff’s Department in partnership with the D.A.’s Office are now releasing the video due to understandable concern from community members.
It is understandable that anytime an incident involves a child in the vicinity of an event, it can produce fear and anxiety on the part of parents and community. This is why law enforcement prioritizes these cases and focuses on the evidence. In this case, based on the video and other evidence gathered as part of our investigation, the Vista Sheriff’s Station believes there is no ongoing threat or danger to our community’s children related to this incident.
Jennifer Lawson and her fiancée were with their two small children at the time of the incident. Lawson told local media outlets that she was terrified and didn’t know the man’s true intentions.
“It was the scariest moment of our lives and I don’t want other families to go through that,” Lawson told CBS 8. Lawson warns parents to protect their children from predators.
The investigation is ongoing.
