Woman Sentenced for Attempted Kidnapping of Child at County Fair

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A 28-year-old woman from Church Hill, Maryland has been sentenced to 7 years in prison after being found guilty of attempting to kidnap a child at the Queen Anne's County Fair in 2025. According to court documents, the victim's grandmother was holding the child's hand when Dawson tried to pull the child away and put a baseball hat on him before being stopped by the grandmother and a passerby until police arrived.

Why it matters

Attempted kidnappings of children are extremely concerning incidents that can traumatize victims and families. This case highlights the importance of vigilant supervision at crowded public events and the need for swift action by bystanders and law enforcement to prevent such crimes.

The details

On August 11, 2025, the Queen Anne's County Sheriff's Office responded to the county fairgrounds on reports of an attempted kidnapping. Court documents show that the victim's grandmother was holding the child's hand when she felt the child being pulled away. The grandmother then saw 28-year-old Alexandra Dawson lifting the boy and putting a baseball hat on his head. The grandmother and a passerby were able to prevent Dawson from fleeing with the child until police arrived.

• On August 11, 2025, the incident occurred at the Queen Anne's County Fair.
• On February 4, 2026, Dawson entered a plea of not guilty with an agreed statement of facts to misdemeanor attempted kidnapping of a child under 16.
• On February 4, 2026, Judge Lynn Knight found Dawson guilty of the attempted kidnapping charge.
• On February 27, 2026, Dawson was sentenced to 15 years with all but 7 suspended.

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Alexandra Dawson out on bail pending her appeal.