Chronic molester charged with 2 abductions

EDMONTON, Alberta, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- A man charged with abducting and sexually abusing a girl in Edmonton, Alberta, on Sunday faces new charges for a similar case two days earlier.

Police charged Daniel Gratton, 44, early Monday for the kidnapping of a 7-year-old girl from a playground. The child was dropped off in a town hours later 75 miles away.

Tuesday, it emerged Gratton had a long record of arrests and jail time for child sex abuse, and questions arose as to why city police weren't advised of his pending release in March, the Edmonton Sun reported.

At the same time, police said Gratton had been charged with the abduction and sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl Friday night. The girl was released hours later and said she was threatened with death if she told anyone, the report said. After more than 24 hours, she told her parents, who called the police investigating the Sunday abduction.

Police Chief Mike Boyd said when Gratton's release was pending, federal corrections officials should have notified the Edmonton police.

"That notification was never made," he said.