Back to school safety
Lita Hernandez told us a parent’s worst nightmare.
“To have any stranger try to abduct your child,” she said.
She’s experienced it.
“When my son was little, a man tried to take him out of my shopping cart one time,” she said.
The recent Amber Alert for Hannah Anderson shook up parents. Here in the desert, police continue to look for a man who tried to lure two young boys into his van in Indio by asking them to help him find his dog.
“The good news is that both kids did the right thing. They obviously listened to what this person had to say but realized it was not their concern and moved on and contacted the police,” Ben Guitron of the Indio Police Department said.
We talked to Mika Moulton, who created Christopher’s Clubhouse after her ten year old son got kidnapped and murdered. She’s since dedicated her life to teaching kids safety.
She said kids walking alone is, “what perpetrators look for. It’s a crime of opportunity.”
She also said abduction can happen to anyone, regardless of age.
Make sure your kids know to never go anywhere without parent’s permission, even if their parent knows the person.
“Always take the same route wherever you’re going. Don’t take shortcuts, don’t stop off at a house. Go straight home,” Moulton said.
Telling your kids safety tips is important, but you need to show them how to protect themselves.
“Say ‘What if someone pulled up? What would you do?’ Teach the child how they run in the the opposite direction of the way the car is facing,” Moulton said.
This knowledge gives kids much needed empowerment, and parents peace of mind.
“Don’t be fearful. Just be smart,” Hernandez said.
