60-year-old man tries to lure 7-year-old into bathroom stall at PA park, cops say
A Pennsylvania man is accused of trying to lure a 7-year-old child into a bathroom stall with him, cops said.
Richard Gerth, 60, of Lancaster, was arrested June 22 on two charges of attempting to lure a child into a vehicle or structure, according to according to a June 26 news release from the Lancaster City Bureau of Police.
McClatchy News was unable to locate attorney information for Gerth.
Officers responded at about 8 p.m. June 22 to Long’s Park where the incident happened, according to police.
Investigators learned a 7-year-old child was in the bathroom with their younger sibling when Gerth tried to get them to come into a stall he was occupying, police said.
The child told his parents Gerth grabbed him, WHTM reported.
The children’s parents, while confronting Gerth, reportedly heard him say, “kids, you can come back here, this stall is open,” the outlet reported, citing the criminal complaint.
Officers stopped Gerth as he tried to leave the park in his car, police said.
Gerth was booked in Lancaster County Prison on $25,000 bail, court records show.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 2, according to court records.
Long’s Park is about a 30-mile drive southeast from Hershey.
This story was originally published June 26, 2024 at 1:16 PM with the headline "60-year-old man tries to lure 7-year-old into bathroom stall at PA park, cops say."
