Transgender Sex Offender Escapes Prosecution After Attempted Kidnapping at Elementary School

A transgender registered sex offender accused of trying to kidnap an 11-year-old boy from a Colorado schoolyard will avoid prosecution, thanks to a controversial state law that critics say leaves dangerous offenders back on the streets.

Solomon Galligan — who now identifies as “Carmen” — was deemed mentally incompetent after the April 2024 incident at Black Forest Hills Elementary School in Aurora. Prosecutors say Galligan sprinted toward children during recess, grabbed one boy, and lost his grip only after tripping on a white blanket. Chilling surveillance footage reportedly captured the moment students screamed “Stranger danger!” and scattered.

Doctors concluded Galligan could not be “restored” to competency, and under a 2024 amendment to Colorado’s competency law, the judge had no choice but to dismiss the charges. Galligan’s long criminal history includes a 2011 sex offense conviction and repeated run-ins with the law.

“Because the criminal case had to be dismissed, that’s not something we have any control over anymore,” said Ryan Brackley, assistant district attorney for Colorado’s 18th Judicial District. “We find the statute deficient… We want to avoid a revolving door through the criminal and civil justice systems without meaningful, secure mental health treatment.”

Galligan’s attorney criticized Colorado’s handling of mentally ill offenders, calling the system “broken.” Galligan’s sister, Sarah, said her brother has battled schizophrenia and bipolar disorder since age 16, and warned that the community is unsafe with him at large.

Victim Dante White said his son has suffered lasting trauma from the attempted abduction. “My son wouldn’t even go upstairs to brush his teeth unless I was right there with him. That’s not a way to live,” he told The New York Post.

Galligan is currently in a treatment facility, and prosecutors say the only way for release would be if a licensed professional determines Galligan is no longer a danger. Critics argue that Colorado’s mental health system — plagued by a shortage of beds — risks creating more victims.

Aurora Police Association President David Exstrom called the outcome a failure. “My heart breaks for the kids… And to see he wasn’t held accountable — what’s the long-term impact on their trust in police and the judicial system?”