URBANA, IL (Chambana Today) – The Urbana Police Department (UPD) are investigating an attempted child abduction that was reported on August 6, just after 8:30 p.m. The middle-school student was walking home from Urbana Middle School (UMS) around 3:15 p.m. earlier that day when a white male with a brown/grey beard, wearing a baseball hat, driving a white pickup truck, approached her.
The man initially offered the student a ride, which she rejected. He then asked if she wanted to make some money. Alarmed, the student fled to a safe location, later reporting the frightening incident to her mother.
Upon receiving the report, the UPD provided the mother with inaccurate guidance, suggesting that no further action could be taken due to the vague description and the time elapsed since the incident. Public frustration grew when a social media post surfaced, criticizing the police handling of the case. In response, the UPD posted some information that contained inaccuracies and was deemed unprofessional. This post has since been removed, and Chief Larry D. Boone has personally met with the victim’s family to apologize for the initial mishandling.
Detectives were assigned to the case and began gathering evidence. The young victim provided crucial information that helped focus their investigation. On August 16, at approximately 10:07 p.m., UPD detectives arrested Hunter W. Simmons, a 34-year-old man from Seymour, for one count of luring a minor and one count of indecent solicitation of a minor. Simmons was transported to the Champaign County Satellite Jail.
Despite the arrest, the UPD has committed to increasing patrols around UMS to ensure the safety of students. Chief Boone emphasized, “While we are an organization comprised of humans who make mistakes, we cannot and should not make mistakes when it comes to handling incidents involving the most vulnerable members of our society.”
Urbana Police urge anyone with additional information to call 217-384-2320. Individuals wishing to remain anonymous may submit tips to Crime Stoppers at 217-373-TIPS (8477), online at 373tips.com, or through the “P3 Tips” mobile app.