Despite numerous social media rumors and posts, no one has been arrested for abducting anyone, or trying to abduct anyone, from the local Wal-Mart.
One man was questioned regarding an allegation of stalking, a spokesman for New Iberia Police said.
“We don’t have any evidence that would lead us to believe subject has any intent to do that, and for that reason he was released,” Capt. John Babin said.
Babin said there’s no indication that any abduction was planned or attempted.
These rumors are fairly common on social media, and circulate periodically. Here’s a link to the Snopes sex trafficking archives, which contains more than a dozen stories about similar rumors across the country that have been debunked as false.
The rumors are all similar: A friend of a friend (or relative) was shopping in a store with her children when she noticed someone following them. She calls security in some cases, or flees to her car in others. Some go so far as to provide details of known sex-trafficking rings operating in the area.
Babin said, if you feel threatened by anyone in any place, you should call 911.
He also said that, if police had information about suspected abductions or attempted abductions, they wouldn’t keep it a secret.
“If someone had information about a person stalking or looking to abduct someone, we would want that information, and we would certainly put that information out,” Babin said.
Babin urged anyone who feels threatened to call the police.
“Let us do our job,” Babin said. “Call your local law enforcement. They’ll look into it.”
