Man Approaches Marco Student on Way to School

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the report of a man who approached a female Marco Forster Middle School student while walking to school Wednesday morning.

The school sent a memo to parents to remind their children to be on the alert for strangers.

According to the email, the Marco student “took the appropriate actions, ran to join a group of other children and went directly to school where she reported the incident to the assistant principal.”

The assistant principal in turn informed the sheriff’s department. There was no further information.

The school relayed the following rules of thumb, as suggested by a child safety site:

• Children should not get into a car or go anywhere with any person unless their parents have told them specifically that it’s okay. CUSD students may only ride home with parents or people listed on the emergency card. If you have a carpool, please inform the office to update the emergency card.
• If someone follows your child on foot or in a car, he/she should stay away from him or her. Don’t go near the car or get inside it. Get to a crowded, well-lit place where others can help.
• Don’t go anywhere with a stranger. Don’t respond to anyone they don’t know well even if the person asks for directions, help to look for a lost puppy, or tells them that their mother or father is in trouble and that he or she will take them to their parents.
• If someone tries to take them somewhere, quickly get away from him or her and yell: This man (woman) is trying to take me away or This person is not my father (or mother).
• Kids should always use the buddy system. Go with a friend, never alone.

Marco serves students from San Juan Capistrano and Dana Point.