2008 Woodie Awards
Schools respond to rise in attempted abductions
Josh Shannon
Issue date: 10/23/07 Section: News
A rash of attempted child abductions in New Castle County has caused local schools to take extra precautions.
At least five attempted child abductions or lurings have been reported in the area since September, according to police. None of the attempts were successful.
Master Sgt. Steven Barnes, a spokesman for the Wilmington Police, said the frequency of incidents is unusual. While the number of incidents may not be any more than in a normal, full-year period, it is rare for all of the incidents to happen at all once, he said.
"Maybe it's just that it all came at the same time," Barnes said.
Wendy Lapham, public information officer for Christina School District, said the most recent attempts occurred Wednesday in Newark and Wilmington.
"The two incidents involved strangers approaching students who live in our district," Lapham said.
One student lives in Wilmington and attends Shue-Medill Middle School and the other lives in Newark and attends Robert S. Gallaher Elementary School, she said. The incidents occurred off of school grounds after the students had been dismissed from school.
The incident in Wilmington has not been officially reported as a crime. Wilmington police are still investigating to determine if a crime did in fact occur, Barnes said.
No additional information was available about the incident in Newark.
Barnes said two confirmed incidents occurred in Wilmington on the morning of Oct. 11.
At approximately 6:40 a.m., an unidentified male approached a 12-year-old girl who was waiting at a bus stop at the corner of Concord and Madison Streets, he said.
"He picked her up and tried to cover her mouth, but she fought him off," Barnes said.
The suspect is described as a black male, 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 7 inches tall, wearing a black T-shirt, black hat and blue jeans, he said.
Later that morning, a black male, described as between 20 and 30 years old with short, twisted hair and a full beard, got out of his car and approached a 12-year-old girl in the parking lot of Burnett Elementary School in the 700 block of W. 36th St., Barnes said.
At least five attempted child abductions or lurings have been reported in the area since September, according to police. None of the attempts were successful.
Master Sgt. Steven Barnes, a spokesman for the Wilmington Police, said the frequency of incidents is unusual. While the number of incidents may not be any more than in a normal, full-year period, it is rare for all of the incidents to happen at all once, he said.
"Maybe it's just that it all came at the same time," Barnes said.
Wendy Lapham, public information officer for Christina School District, said the most recent attempts occurred Wednesday in Newark and Wilmington.
"The two incidents involved strangers approaching students who live in our district," Lapham said.
One student lives in Wilmington and attends Shue-Medill Middle School and the other lives in Newark and attends Robert S. Gallaher Elementary School, she said. The incidents occurred off of school grounds after the students had been dismissed from school.
The incident in Wilmington has not been officially reported as a crime. Wilmington police are still investigating to determine if a crime did in fact occur, Barnes said.
No additional information was available about the incident in Newark.
Barnes said two confirmed incidents occurred in Wilmington on the morning of Oct. 11.
At approximately 6:40 a.m., an unidentified male approached a 12-year-old girl who was waiting at a bus stop at the corner of Concord and Madison Streets, he said.
"He picked her up and tried to cover her mouth, but she fought him off," Barnes said.
The suspect is described as a black male, 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 7 inches tall, wearing a black T-shirt, black hat and blue jeans, he said.
Later that morning, a black male, described as between 20 and 30 years old with short, twisted hair and a full beard, got out of his car and approached a 12-year-old girl in the parking lot of Burnett Elementary School in the 700 block of W. 36th St., Barnes said.
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