Manhattan police: Alleged attack on child playing outside was fake

A report alleging a man approached two children and grabbed one of them while they were playing outside after school Wednesday was entirely made up, Manhattan police said.

The Manhattan Police Department received a report of an incident involving two juveniles in the area of First Street and Brynn Avenue about 12:40 p.m. Wednesday.

Police were told children had just exited their school bus and were playing outside when an unidentified adult male approached them and allegedly grabbed one of the children by the arm, according to Manhattan police.

That incident was “entirely fabricated and did not occur. Both the report of the incident and the description of the alleged suspect were found to be false,” the Manhattan Police Department said in an email Thursday.

The adult in question was a resident picking up his children at another bus stop nearby, police said.

No charges will be filed at this time, police said.

“We trust that the parents involved will take appropriate steps to address this behavior and help ensure it is not repeated in the future,” according to the Manhattan Police Department.

Upon receiving the report on Wednesday, officers made immediate contact with Manhattan School District 114 administrative staff.

Officers and detectives on Wednesday afternoon were actively conducting an investigation and search in the area, police said.