Cape police investigate attempted abduction

Cape Girardeau police are investigating an attempted street-side abduction of a girl walking home from Cape Girardeau Middle School. School officials say they have since increased security and have even mailed a letter to a suspect warning him to stay off of school property.

The incident occurred after school on March 12, but it did not get reported to the school resource officers until the next day, said Sgt. Rick Schmidt. No one has been arrested or charged in connection with the complaint.

Police say the girl was walking away from Cape Girardeau Middle School when a man driving a "bluish" car pulled up alongside and told her she was supposed to go home with him, Schmidt said.

The girl refused to get in the car, Schmidt said. She then found a nearby day-care bus and told the bus driver what had happened.

"I am just so glad that she listened to her mom and dad or whoever told her not to go anywhere with a stranger or not to get into a stranger's car," Schmidt said. "We preach and preach this lesson to kids, and it's nice to know it's working."

School officials became aware of the attempt quickly and began dealing with it right away, said Rob Huff, chief financial officer of the Cape Girardeau School District.

Huff said the girl did not know the man. Both the middle school and junior high, which are on the same campus, increased security the next day with staff members and school officials watching for the suspect.

School officials also were instructed to send out a message to students reminding them of what to do in such a situation.

"We wanted to remind kids of what to do, but didn't want to scare them to death," Huff said. "We did the same thing at the elementary schools."

Huff said superintendent Mark Bowles recently mailed a letter to the suspect informing him that the district was aware of the situation and stating he was not to enter school property or he would be prosecuted for trespassing.

Staff writer Callie Clark contributed to this report.

mwells@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160