During the last two weeks of November, two attempted child abductions were reported in Douglas County.  One of these incidents occurred on November 22nd, in Castle Rock near the vicinity of South Elementary.  The other incident occurred near Legacy Point Elementary in Parker, the week of November 26th.

According to a recent letter from Larry Borland, Director of School Safety and Security for Douglas County School District, students were approached in their neighborhoods and were not on school grounds.  One incident occurred before school and the other occurred after school.

In the Castle Rock incident, a 9-year-old girl was approached by a white male with a goatee, dark shoulder length hair and a ski mask.  He asked the girl to help look for a lost dog.  After the girl told him she could not help, he exited the vehicle and pushed the child into the backseat.

“When he went around to get into the driver’s seat, the girl was able to run from the vehicle,” said Castle Rock Police Chief Tony Lane.  “She began to yell for help and the man drove away.”

The incident took place near South Valley Drive and Baldwin Park Road.  The Castle Rock Police Department continues to search for an older model yellow car with a torn vinyl top.  If you have information about this incident, please call the Castle Rock Police Department at 303-663-6100.

In the Parker incident, a white or Hispanic male in a white pick-up truck followed a 10-year-old boy on his way to Legacy Point Elementary in Parker.  The Parker Police have issued a sketch of the suspect.  Please contact the Parker Police Department at 303-841-9800 if you have information about this incident.

Parents are highly encouraged to supervise children walking to and from school, or bus stops.  Please take this opportunity to talk with children about stranger safety.  Here are a few tips provided by the Douglas County School District:

• Never tell a stranger your name.
  
  
• Strangers are anyone that we do not know.  They come in all age groups and can be nicely dressed, young or even old.
  
  
• Yell for HELP if approached by a stranger.
  
  
• Tell a parent or teacher if you feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
  
  
• Walk to and from school and bus stops with a buddy and/or a parent.
  
  
• NEVER get close enough to a stranger to be touched or grabbed.
  
  
• If confronted, run back to school, home or to a friend’s house - - whichever is closest.
  
  
• Try to remember specific details about the stranger and their vehicle.