This was supposed to be a “sweet cherries” last week, but it deserves more ink.
I went to 7-Eleven hoping to snap a photo of someone taking advantage of the store’s special promotion – fill any container of Slurpee for $1.49. (I phoned the head office for permission.)
I was told by a staff member that some people had brought in milk jugs, so I patiently waited for the right opportunity.
I was just about to leave empty-handed when a young girl walked in with a colossal travel mug. After she filled it to the brim (I couldn’t believe she was going to drink the whole thing), I explained what my intention was and she agreed to a photograph outside of the store.
As I led her to the side of the building, a man in a pickup truck called me over and asked me what I was doing, particularly why I was “taking the girl around the corner.”
I explained myself and produced my business card as proof of identity. But the man didn’t appear convinced as he waited until the girl left the scene.
I thanked him for looking out for the girl’s safety because most people would not have questioned the situation. Who knows, in another time or location, this could have been an abduction case, with parents on national televisions pleading for the return of their daughter.
It took courage for this man to speak out. Imagine how many child abductions could have been prevented if others had done the same.
Don’t be afraid to speak up or call the police if you see something that raises suspicion.
Research shows that of the 58,000 non-family abductions each year in the United States, 63 per cent involved a family friend, long-term acquaintance, neighbour, caretaker, babysitter or person in a position of authority. Only 37 per cent involved a stranger. (Source: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children)
One study in Canada found that 38 per cent of attempted abductions occur while a child is walking alone to or from school, or riding a bicycle.
Thirty-seven per cent of attempted abductions occur between the hours of 2-7 pm on a weekend, while nearly 70 per cent involve a suspect driving a vehicle.
Seventy-two percent of attempted abduction victims are female.
The website www.missingkids.ca is a great resource on the topic. It offers many tips, such as this one: If you suspect your child has been abducted, do not call his or her cell phone because it may alert the abductor, who may discard the phone.
To report a tip or a sighting of a missing child, call 1-866-543-8477.
Lyonel Doherty, editor
