MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A local man is behind bars after allegedly trying to pickup a young girl on two separate occasions.
According to police, Germanshire Elementary School called the 10-year-old’s mother after a man called trying to change who could check out the child. The man identified himself as Cartell Pattse and said another man needed to be added to the the list.
He gave the second man’s name, along with his own contact information.
The school said Cartell Pattse is not on their list either so they contacted the child’s family. The mother stated she did not know a man by that name, but said the second name given belonged to another family member. He is not allowed to check out the child either, she said.
A callback to the number revealed the caller was in fact Tavius Woods, police said.
Less than a week later, Woods reportedly made another attempt to check the child out of school. He was unsuccessful.
Parents say they were happy to hear the teacher followed policy.
“That makes me feel a whole lot better knowing that my daughter and my nephew goes here. Whoever that guy is, I’m glad they caught him,” a parent said.
Shelby County officials released a statement saying the policy, “is pretty straight-forward. Only custodial parents can check children out, or anyone the custodial parents approve of.”
We reached out to the 10-year-old’s mother but have yet to hear back.
Woods was arrested and charged with attempted especially aggravated kidnapping of a child.
