Nov 20, 2008 8:11 am US/Eastern
Lauderhill Police Investigate Attempted Abductions
LAUDERHILL (CBS4) ―
Lauderhill police are trying to unravel details in the wake of two separate incidents in which two different children reported that they were nearly abducted on their way to school Wednesday morning.
Lauderhill Police Captain Constance Stanley told
CBS4 reporter Joan Murray one incident involved an 11-year girl; the other involved a 13-year old girl.
Stanley said in the case of the 13-year old girl, she told investigators she was on her way to school around 6:30 a.m. when a man in a white truck with blue lettering on the side, possibly a water truck, made eye contact with her. She said she felt uncomfortable and took off running. The girl said this was the second time she has been approached by the same man in the truck. She told investigators the first incident occurred two days ago on 24th Court east of 4th Avenue in Lauderdale Lakes.
"He did roll the window down and said get in the car, let me give you a ride and she fled at that time," said Captain Stanley.
In the second incident, police said the 11-year old was waiting at her bus stop at Northwest 19th Street and 58th Terrace around 6:50 a.m. when a man in an older model silver car circled her several times, then stopped and got out of the car. The girl told investigators she got scared and ran.
Stanley said both girls acted properly; they did not talk to the person, both ran away and called for help.
The news startled Shaneha Sheely whose four children attend Broward Estates.
"I screamed because it could have happened to anybody's child," said Sheely. "These are kids. These are babies. And as an adult you should know better."
"I seen the van this morning," said student Jamaica Joseph. "I know the van she talking about. It was a white male inside the van. It rode past me. He looked at me when he rode past me, it started slowing down and then it speeded up."
Lauderhill police say they will be stepping up patrols in the area, and it's a good time to remind children about stranger danger.
Police say it's unclear whether the incidents are related. They say there have been no arrests and there is a search underway for suspects.
If you know anything that may help them call Crimestoppers at
954-493-TIPS.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
