CLAYTON, Mo. – A St. Louis County man is accused of taking a girl from her school Tuesday morning.

According to the Florissant Police Department’s probable cause statement, the kidnapping happened just after 7:30 a.m. at Cross Keys Middle School.

Police said James E. Paulette, 43, went to the school, claimed to be a family member, and told school officials there was a death in the victim’s family.

The school allowed Paulette to check the 13-year-old victim out and leave with him, police said.

That afternoon, a school counselor contacted the victim’s mother after learning the child had been checked out. After realizing what had happened, the school contacted police.

Investigators used school surveillance videos to identify Paulette’s vehicle, and additional records to learn who the veh

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