Prosecutors in Colorado plan to dismiss charges against a convicted child predator accused of attempting to kidnap an 11-year-old boy from an elementary school playground.
However, the case isn’t being dropped due to insufficient evidence, but because the suspect has been ruled mentally incompetent to stand trial.
The case was being handled by the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, which covers Arapahoe County, including the cities of Aurora and Littleton.
The office told local news outlet FOX31 that it intends to drop the case against 33-year-old Solomon Galligan.
Galligan, a registered sex offender, was charged with one count of attempted kidnapping after allegedly targeting a child during recess at Black Forest Hills Elementary School in April 2024.
Despite clear video evidence showing a man, identified as Galligan, chasing down and grabbing at a young student as other children fled in panic, prosecutors say their hands are tied due to a mental competency ruling.
Galligan’s registration as a sex offender is tied to the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office.
Following his arrest, he underwent a court-ordered mental evaluation.
Prosecutors now say the results deemed him unfit to stand trial, forcing them to abandon prosecution.
Yet, Galligan’s alleged guilt is not in dispute.
“It’s super scary to watch,” parent Dante White told FOX31 at the time.
“Especially seeing the perpetrator, the pictures of him.
“I would be freaked out if that guy touched me.
“It was an attempted kidnapping.”
Parents at the Aurora elementary school were outraged following the incident.
In response, they submitted a 10-page letter to officials at the Cherry Creek School District, demanding an independent review of the school’s handling of the crisis.
The district launched an internal investigation, which ultimately led to administrative changes, including the removal of former Principal Amanda Replogle.
“The information obtained through this investigation has led us to decide that we need to make an administrative change at Black Forest Hills,” the district said in a statement to FOX31.
“We are making that change now so that we can move forward with the final weeks of the school year in a positive and productive way.”
Replogle admitted in a letter that the school failed to follow proper procedures in the immediate aftermath of the attempted abduction.
“It was a clear misstep that we did not place the school on secure status,” Replogle said in a message obtained by FOX31.
“I, along with district leadership, own that mistake.
“There was confusion at the time, and we did not know all the details of what occurred as we do now.”
Since the incident, the district has rolled out a slate of security reforms, including upgraded protocols, a visible increase in security personnel, and new mental health resources for students.
The school also began offering indoor recess as an alternative to outdoor play for those concerned about safety.
But for many families, the reforms come too late.
The fact that a known sex offender was able to breach school grounds, attempt to abduct a child in broad daylight, and now walk away without prosecution has left a bitter taste in the mouths of concerned parents.
The case highlights broader concerns about criminal justice priorities and accountability in school safety, particularly when violent offenders are deemed “incompetent” yet remain free from consequences.
As of now, Galligan remains in the system, but without criminal prosecution, there’s no guarantee of justice for the families impacted or protection for future victims.
READ MORE – ICE Arrests Dozens of Illegal Alien Child Predators in Minnesota
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