HAMILTON, Ohio — A Hamilton woman says a stranger was trying to open the front door of her and her neighbor's homes Monday night. She shared the video of the attempt online, saying she hopes to raise awareness and wants the police to take her concerns more seriously.
The woman said she wants to remain anonymous because she fears the man could come back.
Video shows the stranger walking up to her front door along Sherman Avenue at around 8:45 p.m. He knocks and tries to open the door. When he notices the woman’s daughter through the window, he begins talking to her.
"Open the door," he said.
He asks the child through the window, “Is your mom here? Why don’t you come join us?"
The girl screams. In a message the woman sent to WCPO, she said she thinks the man was trying to lure her daughter outside.
The family proceeded to call police and the man stayed on their porch for 25 minutes. The woman said at one point he began taking off some of his clothes. He eventually left, but she said he went to a neighbor's home and did the same thing.
"My mother called the police a total of three times,” she said.
She said she wants the police to take her concerns seriously. Though they called police after the man showed up, she said an officer didn't arrive until around 10 p.m. She said the officer just told the man to leave.
"I'd hope that trying to open people's doors would be a reason enough to remove someone from the streets, but that's not the world we live in,” she said.
She's now worried that he could come back. Neighbors who live along Sherman Avenue said they feel the same after watching the video.
"Whoever is doing this, they need to stop,” resident Carol Kinner said. “They need to be caught and prosecuted. When will they do it again? They will continue trying.”
Some neighbors said they want to see a heavier police presence, especially after a viral video appeared to show a man trying to abduct a girl in Hamilton.
"You had the little girl that almost got abducted on East Avenue and now you have it in our own neighborhood,” Kinner said. “That's just dangerous. There's a lot of kids around here."
The woman is hoping someone recognizes the man in the video and stops him from doing the same thing again.
Hamilton police said at the time of the incident, they spoke to the individual on the porch and forced him to leave, but the homeowner did not have all the information due to not viewing her video camera recording yet.
After the homeowner viewed the video, Hamilton police said they came back out and filed a report. They are investigating the incident.
READ MORE
Gunman opens fire into Hamilton home, family believes son was targeted
Benefit ride planned to raise awareness for Hamilton 7-year-old with rare cancer
6-year-old Hamilton girl escapes kidnapping attempt in front of her home
