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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Graig Graziosi

Woman arrested trying to kidnap boy, 4, by posing as a social worker

screengrab/WCPO 9

Police in Ohio have arrested a woman accused to trying to lure a young boy away from his home by allegedly posing as a social worker, according to law enforcement.

Lisa Nacrelli, 44, has been charged with child enticement after a family in Norwood, Ohio, said she tried to lure their son away with her. Portions of the incident were reportedly caught on the family's surveillance camera, according to WCPO.

Jamie Spradlin, the mother of the child allegedly targeted by Ms Nacrelli, said her son called for her and said "there's some lady here that wants to talk to you."

The woman, who police say is Ms Nacrelli, says in the video that her "name is Lisa" and that she is "from CPS."

"She shows me a badge that says her name," Ms Spradlin said. "She proceeds to rattle off my children's names."

Ms Spradlin said the woman asked to inspect the home and that someone had filed a complaint against them. She noted the woman did not leave contact information.

She and her husband felt something was off with the situation, so they checked their surveillance video and saw the woman touching their son for several minutes, stroking his hair and wrapping her hand around him.

Tim Spradlin, the boy's father, said that it "creeps us out a little but, it's gut wrenching."

The boy's mother agreed, saying the footage made her "sick to my stomach."

After doing further research into the woman, they learned that she did not work for Child Protective Services.

"Everything was a lie, and now we're sitting here on top of being enraged that this even happened, terrified because I don't know what her plan was," Ms Spradlin said. "I know that she told my son that she has a black vehicle and that there's a really pretty car seat in it for him."

Ms Nacrelli reportedly said in a hand-written statement that she had been drunk the day of the incident.

"I walked to Kroger to get more beer, on the walk home I saw a young child that I felt wasn't being supervised, so in an attempt to scare the parent I pretended to be from CPS," she wrote, according to an affidavit.

The Spradlins disagree with that, noting that the woman asked their son to leave with her three times.

"Your intention was clearly to take my son, to convince him to walk down the street with you to this house, which I didn't even know you lived this close which is terrifying in of itself," Ms Spradlin said.

Ms Nacrelli lives only blocks away from the family, according to reporting from WCPO.

Ms Spradlin said she was thankful her son had the instinct to run away, and had previously advised her children to scream "all those bad words that mommy says" if they're in danger because "it's going to grab somebody's attention."

Ms Nacrelli has previously faced alcohol-related charges. In 2005 she was charged with disorderly conduct after she "recklessly caused harm to another while intoxicated" as well as disorderly conduct due to public intoxication in 2011. She is currently being held on bond in Hamilton County on a $10,000 bond.

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