Jury finds Leavenworth man guilty of teen’s attempted kidnapping
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (KCTV) - A 38-year-old man from Leavenworth has been convicted of the attempted kidnapping of a 16-year-old girl who fought back.
The Leavenworth County, Kansas, Attorney’s Office announced on Wednesday, April 9, that Lajuan S. L. Lowery, 38, of Leavenworth, has been found guilty of aggravated kidnapping after an incident that involved a 16-year-old.
Court records indicated that on Aug. 14, Lowery grabbed the teen near 10th and Pottawatomie St. as she was walking to her mother’s home around 7 p.m. He tried to grab her from behind and drag her into an alley, where he placed a hand over her mouth and threw her to the ground.
Investigators noted that the teenager fought back as she elbowed Lowery and yelled for help as she claimed she was pregnant. Ultimately, Lowery ran before he could take the victim.
The Leavenworth Police Department said it canvassed the neighborhood and gathered surveillance footage. A Ring video gathered from a nearby home caught the violent struggle on camera.
On Aug. 16, law enforcement officials indicated that they posted still images from surveillance footage on Facebook in an attempt to identify their suspect. Shortly after, a resident reported she had seen the man inside a local store as he rubbed individual ice cream packs on his body.
By Aug. 19, investigators said they had secured additional security footage - including a clip that showed the altercation and another that showed Lowery’s escape route. Ultimately, he was taken into custody.
“The courage displayed by the survivor of this incident is inspiring. It’s unfortunate that an innocent girl can be targeted in such a violent way while she’s simply walking down the street,” County Attorney Todd Thompson said. “The victim’s strength and the determination of citizens and law enforcement to bring this defendant to justice is to be respected.”
On Tuesday, April 8, the County Attorney’s Office said a jury found Lowery guilty of aggravated kidnapping. He was acquitted of a separate charge of aggravated sexual battery.
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