Suspected Abduction in Butler County Sparks Multi-County Police Investigation, Turns Out to Be False Alarm

Lodi, Ohio – A suspected abduction that began in Butler County, Ohio, on Sunday set off a high-priority law enforcement response, spanning multiple counties and concluding in Medina County—only to be determined as a misunderstanding.

 

The situation unfolded when woman reported to Butler County Sheriff’s Office that she believed a woman had been abducted causing law enforcement agencies to launch an urgent search for a specific vehicle. The Ohio State Highway Patrol Ashland Post first reported spotting the suspect’s car on Interstate 71.

 

However, due to heavy traffic, the responding trooper lost sight of the vehicle before confirming whether it exited at U.S. Route 250. Another trooper positioned further down the highway radioed in, stating that the car had not passed his location, indicating that it had likely taken the exit.

 

Immediately, officers from the Ashland Police Division, Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ohio Highway Patrol responded to the area. Using cellphone tracking technology, law enforcement pinpointed the alleged victim’s phone near the intersection of U.S. Route 42 and Middle Rowsburg Road. Officers rushed to the location but were unable to locate the vehicle.

 

Shortly afterward, a West Salem Police officer spotted the car entering their village on U.S. Route 42. The officer followed the vehicle while awaiting backup. Multiple law enforcement agencies converged, and a traffic stop was conducted at U.S. Route 42 and Vandemark Road in Medina County.

 

After speaking with the individuals inside the car, authorities determined that the woman had willingly accompanied the driver, and there was no abduction. Butler County Sheriff’s Office later commented that the situation was a “glorified welfare check,” and no abduction had been committed.

 

“This was one of those cases where things weren’t as they initially seemed,” a law enforcement official stated. “While we always take these reports seriously, this situation turned out to be a misunderstanding.”