Pocatello mom reports attempted abduction at Idaho Falls mall

Pocatello resident Makayla Croft experienced a parent's worst nightmare when her two young children were reportedly the target of an attempted abduction at Grand Teton Mall in Idaho Falls.

Police are currently investigating the Sept. 23 incident.

According to Croft, the incident happened when she was visiting the Grand Teton Mall with her brother Jed and his wife Raegen and their two children. With Croft were her own two young children in a stroller.

“We were walking through the mall and we decided to let the kids stop and play and there were two women that were intensely watching the kids play,” Croft said. “They were on their phones constantly on and off and they were making eye contact and doing weird things like grabbing their ears and signing to each other in a way."

Croft said the two women were definitely behaving suspiciously. She said the women were Asian and one had short dark hair while the other had very long dark hair. Croft believes they were probably both in their 40s.

“I was watching like a hawk because I didn’t want anyone’s babies being taken,” Croft said. “I stepped away from Jed and Raegen to take my (children) down to the end of the mall. While I was away one lady followed Jed and Raegen to stores and just stood outside watching (and) waiting for them. I got back to the middle of the mall and I called to find Jed and Raegen once I got back."

Croft then noticed that the two women were behind her, close enough that she could hear them talking.

Croft said, “I started walking to the store Jed and Raegen were at and both women got (on) either side of me. I had one on my right (and) her shoulders were touching my shoulders. And one on the left (was) also touching my shoulders with hers. The one on the phone reached out and grabbed my stroller with both my babies in it."

Croft then started screaming and ran with her stroller to the store where Raegen and Jed were shopping.

Croft said, "I just started screaming and I ran to Raegen who was outside of the store at this point. The (two women) were still watching and walking toward us until my brother also walked out of the store and the ladies both stopped in their tracks and just watched us walk out of the mall but followed us almost to the exit door.”

According to Croft, she reached out to mall security who later contacted her and told her they would write a report about the incident.

The Idaho Falls Police Department was also contacted about the incident and an investigation is underway.

“This serves as a good reminder for parents and caregivers to always be wary of their surroundings and to keep a close eye on children out in public spaces,” said Jessica Clements, the public information officer for the Idaho Falls Police Department. “Any suspicious interactions like this one should be immediately reported to law enforcement so they can be investigated as quickly as possible.”