Salt Lake City police arrest man in child kidnapping case

A 20-year-old man was booked into Salt Lake County Jail on suspicion of child kidnapping after he allegedly tried to walk off with a 5-year-old boy from his southcentral Salt Lake City apartment complex.

Police spokesman Josh Ashdown said officers were called to the apartments near 1450 South and West Temple Wednesday morning by the boy's mother. She told officers that she had briefly left the child playing outside, but found him gone when she returned.

Along with a neighbor, she searched for the boy and allegedly found him walking nearby with a man who also lives in the apartment complex, and was acquainted with the mother and her son.

Officer arrested the man, and after questioning decided they had probable cause to jail him, Ashdown said Thursday.

Ashdown said investigators were also looking into whether the man may have a mental disability or disorder because "during questioning he was making statements that didn't make much sense," reportedly including references to a pending apocalypse.

The boy was unharmed and returned to his mother.

The suspect was being held without bail Thursday on the first-degree felony child kidnapping charge.

remims@sltrib.com