OVIEDO, Fla. – Oviedo police said a man called them in regard to the attempted abduction reported on Friday afternoon.
Police said the man told officers he believed his father was the man police were looking for. He said his father was actually there to pick up his daughter, the elderly man's granddaughter.
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The man told officers his father has been having issues with his memory and eyesight and agreed to bring him to the police department to explain what happened.
At approximately 12:00 p.m., the man, his father and other family members met with detectives at the Oviedo Police Department, officials said.
The elderly man was cooperative and told detectives his wife usually picks up their granddaughter at that location and brings her home, police said.
Police said the grandmother was unable to pick up their granddaughter on Friday and asked him to do it.
Police said the man went to the location and saw a little girl, whom he believed was his granddaughter, and got out of the car and asked her to help put her bike in the trunk of the car, just like her and the grandmother do every day.
When the little girl rode off he got in the car to follow her but, did not see her and immediately turned around and headed home to catch her at home, police said.
Additionally, the elderly man's neighbor, who was also there to pick up his daughter, witnessed the elderly man drive off so, he picked the man's granddaughter and brought her home, police said.
The father of the 7-year-old girl was updated by detectives and confirmed his daughter told him the elderly man actually called her by another name at the time of the incident which, was the name of his granddaughter whom he was there to pick up, police said.
At this time, detectives have no reason to suspect the elderly man had any intention to abduct or harm the 7 year old whom he made contact with on Friday and believe it was a case of mistaken identity, police said.