Man suspected of kidnapping a child in the Colorado Springs area

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KKTV) - A man is facing serious charges, including kidnapping, after a child was reported missing in the El Paso County area.

11 News is choosing to not report the name of the child. According to Fountain Police, investigators started looking into a missing child on Saturday. Detectives learned through several interviews the 7-year-old boy had been seen alone at different homeless camps and businesses in El Paso County days before the investigation started. Saturday afternoon, police learned the boy was with 28-year-old Kristopher Lockit.

Detectives tracked Lockit to an area near Marksheffel Road and Woodmen Road near Colorado Springs. The boy was found and unharmed, according to police. Lockit was charged with kidnapping, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and one misdemeanor count of reckless endangerment. They said Lockit had marijuana that he shared with the boy.

“[The boy] was taken into protective custody by Fountain Police,” part of a news release reads. “The Department of Human Services (DHS) was notified and responded. Against the recommendation of the Fountain Police, DHS placed [the boy] back in the home with his mother.”

A second adult male could face charges, however the investigation is ongoing. Police tell 11 News the suspect is known to the family. The boy’s mother was issued a criminal summons for child abuse. She spoke with 11 News and said she’s not willing to talk on camera quite yet.

Fountain Police said they recommended that the boy be removed from the home and taken into DHS custody.

“It was our recommendation to have DHS take custody of the boy,” said Commander Mark Cristiani with Fountain police. “It didn’t happen that night, he went back to the home that night, which is what’s not what we recommended, but again that’s not what the police really do, we make recommendations and the courts and DHS do what they need to do so, that’s kind of where we’re at with that.”

DHS did send a response to 11 News, saying, in part, “The decision to remove a child from a home is not made by a caseworker alone at a moment in time.” However, they also said they cannot comment on a specific case, even to confirm their involvement.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call 719-382-4217.

Copyright 2022 KKTV. All rights reserved.