LA - Man tries twice to pick up preschoolers

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mahmoo

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Man tries twice to pick up preschoolers

Tuesday, February 22, 2011 9:48 PM EST
Source: Baton Rouge Police Department


BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - Police are looking for a man that tried to pick up a child from preschool without permission on February 15th.

According to reports, the man went into the gym of an area preschool holding a rose and gave the name of a child he was there to pick up. When he was told there were no kids by that name, he allegedly walked outside, came back in and said he was there to pick up another child, giving a different name. School officials told him he didn't have permission to take the child and he left.​
 
OMG. Was he serious? Did he think they were going to just hand over a toddler because he knew their first name? Somebody get this moron off the streets , please.
 
It's scary because this guy sounds like he was very bold and determined. What's even scarier is that he's still loose. I really hope the people in Baton Rouge and surrounding areas are aware of this and what happened.
 
He is not going to get the chance to take 'pick one up' at school, hopefully. But I agree, he is very dangerous, and seems desperate. I have no doubt that he would grab a child if he gets an opportunity. Let's hope someone recognizes him first.
 
The rose just about does me in. That is tremendously creepy.
 
What's really scary is this age child is one of the easiest to abduct. I have a preschooler we go over stranger danger and all that. But I think he could be easily tricked into going anywhere (although we practice this all the time). Just when I think we are on it, I'll throw in a puppy or candy scenario (even though we've done this a lot) and sometimes he will still fall for it. If parents don't keep their eyes on their kids 100% of the time in public, this guy could get his prey. Very scary.
 
That is really scary. Sounds like this guy "needs" a child now - and is determined to find one. I hope they catch him before we hear of a child missing from a park or playground...
 
I'm about 20 minutes from Baton Rouge and I have not heard about this yet. I just turned the local news on and will pass along any info I hear.
 
Ok I just saw it on WAFB.

Not much more info.

They said he got the names by looking at artwork displayed at the school. Did not say what school it was.

Asking anybody with information to call Crime stoppers.
 
Why are we just now hearing about this incident? It happened a week ago. I haven't seen anything in the New Orleans news, and when you have a predator on the loose who's as brazen as this guy, I think it should be reported across the state, or at least within a 150-200 mile radius. Schools have to be alerted. This situation is being taken too lightly, imo.
 
bessie said:
Why are we just now hearing about this incident? It happened a week ago. I haven't seen anything in the New Orleans news, and when you have a predator on the loose who's as brazen as this guy, I think it should be reported across the state, or at least within a 150-200 mile radius. Schools have to be alerted. This situation is being taken too lightly, imo.
Click to expand...

I agree bessie.

I'm worried he will find a child somewhere else, besides a child care/preschool center.
I worked as a preschool teacher for years and I can tell you, his chances of any preschool letting him take a child without proper documentation is slim to none. But, parks and malls and other public areas is not so hard to snatch a child.

Every parent in Louisiana should know about this story.
 
http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=14080429

The suspect is described as a white man between 23 and 26 years old. He was about 5'10" and weighed 175-185 pounds. He also had brown hair.

He was last seen wearing a blue t-shirt, black skull cap, blue jeans and sunglasses.

He drove off in a red Chevy pickup with a white sticker on the back glass.
 
For all the good it will do, I e-mailed the links to our local news outlets with a suggestion that they run the story. I spoke with two friends who work in local elementary schools: one's a teacher in Orleans; the other is a secretary in a Jefferson Parish school. Neither had heard any mention of the incident.

I agree with you, Kimberly, the chances are very slim that a school employee would release a child to this guy. You never know, though. It only takes one mistake. Regardless, if he struck out at one school, he'll try again at another. I'd bet on it. Schools AND parents have to be alerted to be on the lookout.

(OT: Love your Mardi Gras motif. Great photo. ;) )
 
bessie said:
For all the good it will do, I e-mailed the links to our local news outlets with a suggestion that they run the story. I spoke with two friends who work in local elementary schools: one's a teacher in Orleans; the other is a secretary in a Jefferson Parish school. Neither had heard any mention of the incident.

I agree with you, Kimberly, the chances are very slim that a school employee would release a child to this guy. You never know, though. It only takes one mistake. Regardless, if he struck out at one school, he'll try again at another. I'd bet on it. Schools AND parents have to be alerted to be on the lookout.

(OT: Love your Mardi Gras motif. Great photo. ;) )
Click to expand...


I am very worried about this. Our babies are in danger. WAFB did say all Baton Rouge area preshools/schools are on high alert. I hope all parents are too.

OT:
Thanks Bessie!
Mardi Gras Ball last weekend. Had a blast.
 
first, they should have a buzzer system where no one even gets into the school without identifying themselves to a security guard or at least a receptionist

it`s pretty simple - parents `sign in`at the front desk and that person buzzes them through and then back out with their child

second, why didn`t anyone get his license plate number or even detain him until the police got there

I know we`re not supposed to put ourselves at risk but h-double hockey sticks if he would`ve been able to drive away on my watch!
 
You're right, LadyL, writing down the license plate number would make sense. It's possible he took off before the person in the office could get word to other employees, though. By the time they went after him, he was driving off and all that they could see was a bumper sticker on his back window. Evidently, they couldn't even make out what the sticker said, so he was making tracks. Even if the person he talked to had been able to stall him, how would she get word to the others that something was amiss without the risk of making him angry? If an employee did try to physical detain him, there was the risk that he might pull a gun and harm employees and students. It's a sensitive situation and one that should be anticipated and rehearsed in schools, the same way we walk through dangerous "what if" situations with our kids to prepare them "just in case".

Years ago I worked in a downtown boutique where shoplifting had become a problem. We came up with a sentence -- something about a lot of empty boxes in the stockroom -- that one salesperson would say to the other if she noticed a shoplifter. The first salesperson would then try to engage the shoplifter in conversation while the second called police. Our little ruse helped LE nab at least two thieves that I recall. Any office or business where people walk in off the street, but especially schools, should have a similar plan in place.
 
I agree Schools need to have a plan in place for something like this. My first thought would have been to lie to the guy and tell him - "Oh sure you can pick up "Sally" we just need to go to the office and make a quick copy of your drivers license. Don't worry it's just to follow the law in LA because this is the 1st time you are picking "Sally" up. It should only take a minute. Let me get another teacher to watch my class." And while one teacher walks the guy to the office her relief can call the police. Even if the guy says no and leaves, he might be less likely to try it again if he thinks that every where he goes he will have to show ID to get a child out of a school.
 
The plan is pretty much not let an unauthorized person have a child, protect the children and staff, and get him out of there. IMO
Sure you try to see the vehicle or whatever and you call LE,

But IMO you don't keep him there at all. Your main concern is protecting the people in that building. Not, trying to stall him and take the chance of him harming anybody.

JMO
 
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