Possible Attempted Abduction

[Chris Santee]

STATE OF VERMONT
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
VERMONT STATE POLICE
PRESS RELEASE
INCIDENT: Possible attempted abduction
CASE #: 10A201358
TROOPER:   J. Smith  STATION: St. Albans   
CONTACT#: 524-5993
DATE/TIME: 4-6-10  1930 hrs

LOCATION (specific): Stable Rd. Fairfax VT     
                                                         
SUMMARY OF INCIDENT:
At approx. 1930 hrs. on 4-6-10 a 9 year old girl reported that a man in a small
black car approached her while she was out side her residence on Stable Rd. in
Fairfax VT.  The male tried to get her to come over to his vehicle.  She went
inside her house and told her mother.  The car drove off.
 
The vehicle is described as a small to mid sized sedan with possible VT plates.
The suspect is described as a white male 30-40 years old with brown hair.  Any
one with information is asked to contact the Vermont State Police, St. Albans at
802-524-5993.

Check for more during the day on www.FranklinOne.com also
any updates will be posted both sites immediately.

[sfc]

Thanks for posting this.  I am sending an email out to everyone I know in Fairfax copying this posting.

PS...Where is the Stable Road??

[Henry]

Stable Road is out near the Northwest Riding/Driving Club in North Fairfax just off Route 104

[Chris Santee]

WCAX has a link to the story:
http://www.wcax.com/global/story.asp?s=12268312

[slpott]

Has anyone contacted the school to let the children and parents become aware of this incident? Things to be aware of. This is very scary stuff. Not to be taken lightly.

[slpott]

Just  spoke with the elementary and as of now it is the parents responsibility. I know I will be at the bus stop from now on. I do not watch T.V. so I am very thankful for this site. Thanks again Henry.

[ASDuling]

That is terrifying! Stable Rd is a short, dead-end road, and you'd think your child would be safe playing in such a private area. That's one smart girl.

[khort]

Unfortunately, you cant let your guard down, even in Fairfax. Scary times we live in. I remember riding my bike back and forth to friends house when I was younger. Now I wouldn't think of letting my 10 yr old ride that distance alone.

[Chris Santee]

So far, security cameras in the area offer nothing of use.

Anyone with an in-home camera in the area that can see Main Street (Route 104)
should call Vermont State Police at 524-5993.

[Henry]

More details from Channel 5:

Kara LaCross didn't sleep much last night. She said her 9-year-old daughter had a frightening encounter outside their Fairfax home. She came in and said, "Mom, somebody just yelled at me and said get over here. Get over here now."

"And I said, 'Well, who was it?' and she said, 'I don't know,'" Kara LaCross told NewsChannel 5.

According to LaCross, her daughter described the man as having brown or black hair and was in a black car.

State police said the girl told them that a man tried to coax her into his black sedan around 7:30 p.m.Tuesday.

LaCross said her daughter was riding her bike in the back yard when she heard the man, got scared and ran inside to get help.

[mirjo]

Unfortunately, when kids reach a certain age you need to balance their need with more freedom and the danger that exists. It's a difficult thing to do I think. They need to be safe AND they need to learn some independence. You need to give it to them AND you need to know they're going to be safe.

Talk about a rock & a hard place.

They mostly don't get the concept that there are evil people who want to harm them for no sane reason and they mostly have no fear about any of it, unfortunately.

Unfortunately, sending your kid out to do what they have a right to do--walk or bike in their neighborhood with friends--has become a hazard requiring a dire warning. I hate that, but I would rather have her be as prepared as she can be, understanding the dangers that she will have to learn to live with going forward than to teach her to cower inside, where she won't actually be living her life--in a bubble. Hopefully she will learn valuable lessons on not doing these things alone, being aware of her surroundings at all times and whatnot. How many stories are there from years & years about young coeds who've been raped & murdered while out running?  I worry every time she goes anywhere. Especially when she goes to a friend's house, because then I don't have any control over what she's doing and have to rely things she's been taught. And wonder if she will use it.

I developed a means of 'hovering' from a distance, where I allow my daughter to go for the walk/bike ride with a friend (on the rare occasion that she asks to), but she has to check in every 30 minutes and let me know where she is. It seems excessive, but she doesn't mind and I know where she is and have a point of reference/time stamp to work with, in the event I should need one. I have explained to her that should the unthinkable happen, if I know where she last was, 30 minutes is a much better time frame to work within than 1 hour. She understands that there are creeps out there willing to do harm and is prepared to not listen to requests to get into someone's car and to run yelling for help at any hint of danger or a situation that doesn't feel right.

How sad this has hit home. Thankfully the LaCross girl knew exactly what to do! Unfortunately, I'm sure that creep with be perusing again.