Child abduction averted by local bar patrons

A Clear Lake mother and child are doing well in the wake of a scary experience.

Katie Showalter, owner of Rumorz at 1210 South Shore Drive, said she pulled into the bar with her baby on her way home approximately 3:45 p.m. Saturday afternoon to change him and to use the restroom.  Showalter, 37, left the baby 

with a friend, 48-year-old Margaret Bigelow of Clear Lake, while she went upstairs to use the restroom.  Suddenly, a man who was a patron in the bar walked up to the counter, reached over the shoulder of Bigelow and pulled the child out of her arms, knocking her over backwards in the process. As the man attempted to leave, patrons in the bar blocked his way and tried to get the child from him. 

Thirty-three-year-old  Jonathan Lindsey Workman tried to leave with the baby, but bar patrons stopped him.

Showalter, heard the commotion from the restroom, rushed downstairs and pleaded with the man to give her baby back to her.  

“He said, ‘you’re not taking my son away again,’” said Showalter.  “He kept calling him MJ.”

Showalter said she began trying to calm her son and Workman eventually realized the child was responding to her and his name, Kasen.

He handed the child over to Showalter and left the establishment. 

A Rumorz employee immediately called the police and they were on the scene very quickly, said Showalter.  They found the man walking a couple of blocks south of the bar.  Workman had told bar patrons he was living with his sister in Clear Lake, but gave police a home address of 2120 North Towne Lane, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  Workman had only been at the bar a short while and had acted friendly prior to his sudden actions, staff members told -Read More Via e-Edition