A day at a Salt Lake City park reportedly took a frightening turn Friday when a 37-year-old man allegedly tried to convince three children to leave with him by telling them they were trapped in a human trafficking situation. Police say they arrested Winston Chase Brinkerhoff and booked him into the Salt Lake County jail on three counts of attempted child kidnapping, where he is being held without bail.
What police say
Arrest documents state that Brinkerhoff "attempted to convince the three children to leave with him" and claimed they were victims of human trafficking whose legal guardians were holding them captive, according to Gephardt Daily. In a written statement, a witness reported that Brinkerhoff told at least one child they needed to call 911 and that he was there to save them, the documents say.
How officers located him
Police say a second adult at the park took a photo of Brinkerhoff and gave it to investigators, who then showed the image to one of the witnesses and received a positive identification, per Gephardt Daily. Officers reportedly recognized Brinkerhoff from prior interactions and later found him at his residence, where they took him into custody and transported him to the Salt Lake County jail.
Legal implications
Each attempted child-kidnapping count in the case is listed as a second-degree felony in the arrest paperwork. Under Utah law, an attempt to commit a first-degree felony is treated as a second-degree felony, as outlined by Utah Code, and child-kidnapping statutes can be charged as a first-degree offense in certain circumstances, per Utah Code. The typical sentencing range for a second-degree felony in Utah is one to 15 years in prison, according to Utah Code § 76-3-203.
Local context
The incident lands in a city that has seen other reported attempted abductions in recent years. In 2023, a man was arrested after allegedly trying to grab a 12-year-old walking to school near Liberty Park, as reported by FOX13. Episodes like these help explain why officers and parents emphasize staying alert and why quick action from witnesses can matter so much.
Brinkerhoff remains in custody as the case moves through county court, and charging documents are public record. Future court filings are expected to provide additional detail on the allegations.
