Families in San Tan Valley, which is 45 miles east of Phoenix, had previously believed that their community was secure. Many small children used to play in the streets between the homes and the neighborhood park, but a recent incident is probably making the locals feel afraid.
On Thursday, a man in a white SUV came up as a 10-year-old girl was heading home with a friend and tried to convince her to get inside the car.
The man was a white male in his 40s with a short beard who covered most of his face with his hand during the interaction. He was dressed in a red shirt. The 10-year-old was informed about the accident and instructed to board the vehicle. He yelled, “Hurry, get in!” Your brothers are in difficulty.
Fortunately, the 10-year-old noticed something was strange.
She decided to put the man to the test by asking him for “the codeword,” which instantly startled him and sent him running.
In cases like this, having a codeword is advised to increase child safety. The code word is essentially a secret phrase that only parents and their kids are aware of. According to Busy Parents Online, “This secret or ‘code’ word should be easy enough for the children to remember but obscure enough so that the assailant wouldn’t be able to guess.” The parent is expected to give the code word to the person who is meant to pick up the child at that time. The child shouldn’t go with the person if they don’t know the word.
It turned out that the family of the girl had just lately created a code word.
Her mother, Brenda James, told ABC15, “We actually just came up with it a few months ago.”
“It was something I read in a story that was really recent.”
They were extremely lucky with their timing; this one little maneuver probably saved the girl’s life.
Sheriff Mark Lamb believes that the incident should serve as a warning to parents who frequently concentrate on the risks present online. While there are internet predators, he claims we also need to exercise caution in public areas like malls and parks. Lamb commended the child’s parents for having a code and teaching their kids to be wary of strangers.
“We hope that by publishing this, it will inspire parents to have that conversation and develop a plan with their kids so they will know what to do if they find themselves in that situation,” the authors write.
However, according to Stu Auty, the founding president of the Canadian Safe School Network and an expert in education with more than 30 years of experience, parents shouldn’t just rely on code words to keep their kids safe. Additionally, he suggests that parents train their children to alert an adult if they feel like they are being observed and to find the nearest adult if a stranger approaches them. However, do your best to keep kids from traveling alone: “Children definitely shouldn’t be alone. Additionally, if they are traveling to and from school, other kids should be with them.
