Attempted Abductions!

Schoofness · 04-28-2007, 12:59 PM

Help -- there have been four attempted abductions in the past week that are in the newspaper, and on the radio and news it is a lot more. The principal of our school was standing on the corner across from the school with a camera. At the time I didn't get it, but I realized that she was probably taking pictures of people she didn't recognize around the school. We got a note from the school yesterday that informed us that there is more police protection in our neighborhood specifically. We are jsut renting, but we are in the Mansion District of our town. It is so scary! I feel like I can't even let my kids play outside. In one attempt a guy

ed into a yard over a fence to try to get a little boy. My husband is even stressed out and usually he is pretty calm, even about scary stuff. The kids of course are

! One abduction attempt was in our local Costco and the guy picked up the girl and tried to leave with her, but she wiggled away -- he wasn't caught. That was the first attempt. He then went across the street to I-HOP and tried to pick up another girl -- again was failed and was not caught. This one was not in the paper.

Has anyone else dealt with this?

lulu · 04-28-2007, 03:33 PM

That is horrible! An old man at the grocery store tried to take Nick. He said he wanted Nick to

him put the grocerys in the car. Of course, my son was ready to go

. I told him he would have to wait until we all were outside before Nick could

him. He got mad and left. It scares me to death to think that he was after Nick.

The one thing I do with my kids is talk, talk, talk about it. I even had each kid get in to trunk. We discussed way to get out or signal for

. The newer cars have an emergency release pull. My trunk has one. We explored how to rip out the brakelight so they can stick their hands out to wave for

. Then I very carefully closed the trunk and let them pull the emergency release. It was very

ful for them.

My kids all have a code word. They now if I am not there and someone is there saying I told them to pick them up, the person has to know the code word. If they don't, don't go with them. No one knows the code word but us.

As for playing outside? I guess it is time to get a lawn chair and a good book and stay with them outside. That is what I do.

I know it is scary. I hope they catch these people. Be careful.

DeeDee · 04-28-2007, 11:23 PM

So

you are having problems like this in your area. I have never had anything like that happen around here. We have had attempted abductions but they were of teen girls. The guy was caught and the girl got away before he had her. Other than that not much happens like that here.
I worry about my grandsons though. Three of them live in Ottawa, a huge city and I worry so much about them. My son picks them up at school but they take the bus in the

. Still makes you worry.

I do hope they catch this guy soon. Then you can relax again and have peace of mind. There are

people out there, its too bad.

Lulu, that is great you have taught these things to your kids. Kids today should be street smart. The code word is excellent too. Way to go.

Schoofness · 04-29-2007, 12:19 AM

Yess Lulu, you ahve some great tips, thanks. We do have a code word and I really likes the

about the trunk. We have a van so they couldn't practice that, but that is really smart!

I did do an

with them of what to do if you are grabbed. They all did really well! Thanks for your thoughts! I have noticed a great deal more police cars jsut in general throughout the town over the past few days and that makes me feel good too, that they are sincerely on the lookout!

DeeDee · 04-29-2007, 10:29 PM

That is good the police cars are in the area. Makes you feel more at ease I am sure. I do hope they get this guy soon.

Schoofness · 05-01-2007, 11:04 AM

Nothin new in the last couple of days -- which actually has put me more of a non-ease. The principal was out yesterday afternoon again with her camera. She is keeping up on it!

We took the fourth grade class that my daughter is in on a owrking field trip yesterday and there was only me for a chaperon and then at the last minute another mom showed up! I was grateful! It was a lot of fun, but I was very watchful the whole time and I had my camera. They had earned a class party and we went to a downtown restaurant for free mud pie. My four year old went as well and walked the whole way -- that was impressive!

Anyway, I guess the main stress is off as far as I know, but it just leaves me very uneasy. It just reminds you that you jsut never know when something like that could happen. I've always felt pretty safe in generla in Montana and then when this stuff comes up, it scares you.

DeeDee · 05-02-2007, 01:14 AM

Glad to hear things have been un-eventful. It does put you at bit at an unease though I guess. Hopefully this person will get caught soon.
Glad you had a nice time with the kids and the other mother showed up too.

mom2one · 05-08-2007, 06:00 PM

We live about 50 miles north of Los Angeles. We are basically a mini LA, nothing different just smaller. We are familiar with this kind of stuff all the time, Amber Alerts and so forth. My daughter, at almost 6 years old, is just now being allowed to ride her bike in the front of our house with a friend unsupervised for short periods of time. AND we are in a gated community, so I feel safer. Most of the time, though still, we tag team and take turns being outside with them. We do outside chores while she is outside.

I gasp when I see two, three and four year olds outside with no parent in site!! I still see so many children unsupervised even with today's threats. All I can think of us how lazy can you be?? Most famlies in my area have tons of kids and they are all over the place. One little boy down the street (no more than 4) would just walk into our homes like nothing. And then I see him on his bike watching his two year old sister in the street!! Makes me ill, I just want to punch the parents. Those kids are perfect targets for predetars. I feel my child is pretty safe knowing most criminals are looking for a perfect target who is not supervised or who is shy and quiet and will just walk off with them. The boy who walked into my home and my neighbors home is sooo quiet and non socialized that when I ask him a question like what are you doing here and where do you live, he just stares at me puzzled.

I hate, hate, hate lazy parents, but I bet molesters love them.

The biggest thing besides accedemics that I strive for in my child is proper social skills. She can communicate herself in case she gets lost. I can't have my child be shy around adults and clam up if she is asked a question. THat won't

if she is lost and an adult is asking her, her name and address. She knows how to scream for

and is not shy. She doesn't go along with what her

say, she has no problem telling them what is right or wrong.