Alleged kidnapping attempt at New York daycare was a ‘misunderstanding’

A disturbing attempted kidnapping of a 3-year-old girl from a Queens daycare turned out to be a bizarre “misunderstanding” — but not before the NYPD released footage of a man they initially believed to be the suspect.

An unidentified man showed up at the Montessori Children’s House school on Leavitt Street near Carlton Place in Flushing around 4:50 p.m. Monday and told staff he was there to pick up a toddler enrolled in daycare, cops said.

Police initially claimed that the pervert falsely claimed he was the girl’s grandfather, that the child’s father was late and fled when the centre refused to hand over the child.

But the school has now said he is the grandfather of another girl, according to PIX11.

“After further investigation, it has been determined that the person sought did not commit any criminal offenses in connection with this incident,” the NYPD said Tuesday afternoon, several hours after releasing video and images of the suspect to the media.

“The investigation revealed that he was authorized to pick up a child at that location.”

The two children had very similar names, which contributed to the confusion, law enforcement sources told the Post.

Police initially said school staff noticed he was not on the parents’ emergency contact list and fired him.

A woman who answered the phone at the school said Tuesday it was a “misunderstanding” but referred further questions to police.

The man had said he would wait outside for the child before giving up and running away, police initially said.

The girl remained safe inside the school and was not evacuated, police said.

Footage initially released by police shows the man, wearing a beige shirt, khaki shorts and a camouflage baseball cap, speaking to someone in the building before that person directs him into the hallway.