A robo-call from District 155’s Jeff Puma reached our home at 6:11 Thursday night.
Here’s the content:
At approximately 4:30, a Cary-Grove student was approached by a man in a white SUV and offered a ride.
The student immediately fled back into the school and reported the incident to Cary-Grove administration.
The Cary Police Department has been notified of the situation.
The driver is described as having a dark complexion and may be Hispanic or Indian.
Again, he is driving a white SUV. We urge you to discuss the incident with your children to help raise awareness and keep them safe.
School personnel and the Cary police will continue to work together on the investigation.
I know I’ll catch some flack for this…but since when is the offering of a ride, to a HS student, tantamount to an attempted abduction?
I realize this is 2013 and such a situation is grounds for concern but let’s call this what it is-someone offering a ride.
It is certainly a basis for continued investigation and a sound reason to notify parents, staff and the authorities…but unless this creep made some act in furtherance–this is quite a legion shy of an abduction attempt…
In all honesty, the greater chance is this was just that, an offering of a ride, no one knows what this guy’s intentions (although clearly misplaced) were—just saying.
I think it’s pretty safe to assume this guy did not have good intentions toward this student.
You do not just “offer” a kid a ride in your car these days.
Most people know this. Unless you personally know the child, do not offer a ride to them.
If (as a parent yourself) you feel the child may be in need of help then call 911 and politely wait for the police and keep an eye on the kid without freaking them out.
The old “do not take candy or rides from strangers” apply here.
This type of incident happens in many if not most school districts in the Chicago suburbs.
Elementary, middle, and high school districts.
Historically, many school districts have not reported these types of incidents to parents or the press.
School districts received some heat for that practice, and now more school districts are becoming more transparent in releasing the information.
While there is no definite way to know which incidents are harmless and which have harmful intentions, some due have harmful intentions.
Every parent needs to have a conversation with their child on how to react if approached by a stranger.
If you think we live in Mayberry, visit the public websites of people registered as sex offenders.
Visit public websites of most wanted criminals.
Read newspapers.
Visit police websites.
If you know a police officer who will open up to you, talk to them.
If you know a public prosecutor who will open up to you, talk to them.
There are plenty of people who want to harm kids and there are many ways to be harmed without being murdered.