Full Notification

As parents, one of our main goals in life is to keep our kids safe.  Unfortunately, for most of us we cannot be with our children 24 hours a day but we can take the time and educate our kids about a very important topic: Child Abductions.  One of the challenges of educating your child on this topic is to instill caution without filling them with fear or anxiety. Teaching your child to be alert and informing your kids of these safety tips can help children be less susceptible to any stranger dangers.

Below are some safety tips from The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children:

* Travel with a friend, or better yet, a group of friends when riding your bike or walking to or from school or other destinations.

* If a stranger offers you a ride somewhere, say no, and run away. Adults should define "stranger" and give safety tip examples to help youth, especially young ones, know what you mean.

* If someone follows you on foot, get away as quickly as you can. Go to someone's house you know, or run to other people, or just run away.

* If someone is following you in a car, turn around and go in the opposite direction or take a path where a car would not go.

* Never leave school or any other extracurricular activity or event with someone who makes you feel uncomfortable. Parents should tell their youngsters that it is okay in these circumstances to not ride home, but that it also means adults should have an established communications method along with these safety tip guidelines so that the child does not end up stranded or alone.

* If a stranger tells you that there is an emergency or that a family member is hurt or that a pet has been in an accident, always check with your mom or dad or other trusted adults. This is a common trick used by many molesters or kidnappers.

* For more information about safety tips contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department lasd.org, your local police or sheriff's station, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at missingkids.com.

* Adults should establish "safe houses" where kids feel comfortable in knocking on their door at any time a situation warrants it. Be sure to get approval from the neighbors/homeowners first before designating a home as a "safe house." If possible, have a neighborhood safety tip meeting and have residents agree to watch after one another.

* Parents should be cautious about any blatant use of a child's name on a backpack or jacket. Kids sometimes believe that a person can't be a stranger if they know them by name, when the reality is that their name was easily readable on their attire or the individual heard a youngster's name mentioned.

* Adults should understand that boys are at just as greatest of risk as girls. It is a misconception that child molesters or perpetrators are typically men and seek only girls. Molesters come in all ages and both genders, and their victims can be of either sex.

* Parents should begin reinforcing these safety tips as soon as a kid is old enough to understand, and above all, ensure that their child feels comfortable enough in discussing these issues, their concerns or fears, or any potentially inappropriate events that have possibly transpired.

If you would like more information on safety tips for preventing abductions please visit www.missingkids.com.   If you have any questions or concerns, please call Deputy Jodi Wolfe 661-272-2520 or email [email protected].

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