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Buffalo Police say possible kidnapping outside Futures Academy was a hoax

Posted at 3:16 PM, Jun 21, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-21 23:28:16-04

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Buffalo Police say a report of a child abducted from outside of Futures Academy on Carlton Street Friday afternoon was a hoax.

Initial reports stated a 6th grade student from Futures Academy was walking with a little boy to the bus when a suspect, described as a black male said, "give me the child."

That 6th grade student immediately reported what she said happened to the school, but following a three hour investigation and search, the student told police she made the story up.

Police say all students at Futures Academy have been accounted for.

Police searched yards in the Fruit Belt neighborhood and the Erie County Sheriff's helicopter was in the air searching the area.

It is unclear if the 6th grade student will be disciplined by the school.

"It's an unfortunate situation. Thankfully nobody is hurt. Thankfully no officers got hurt in this, but we need to get to the bottom of it," Buffalo Police Captain Jeff Rinaldo said.

A spokesperson tells 7 Eyewitness News that the district "will conduct an internal review to better understand what happened in this situation."