MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) — Some public schools sent messages to their respective families letting them know about incidents in which people followed elementary school students.
The principal of Chevy Chase Elementary School sent a letter dated Jan. 25 to the school community. The letter said that in the prior week, a man in a ski mask, who was driving a silver pickup truck, followed three students who were walking home from a bus stop several days in a row. The boys told their families, and the police went out to investigate.
On Jan. 24, a girl said she was walking home when an older man with gray hair, wearing a blue and yellow jacket, followed her closely for six blocks. Members of the Montgomery County Department of Police went out to the neighborhood to look into it.
The principal of Wood Acres Elementary School, Dr. Sweta Zaks, sent a letter to families after a similar incident took place involving one of its students:
Dear Wood Acres ES Families,
I am writing to let you know the administrative team is aware of listserv posts regarding an unknown adult who has elicited fear among some students. Two reports in the area indicate that the adult male appears to be following students as they walk home from school.
The Wood Acres student who experienced this on Friday quickly made it home to family members and reported the concern immediately. The family has notified the police. The adult male did not talk with the student or try to entice the student into the vehicle.
It is important to remind your children never to interact with unknown people after school, and to alert you immediately if they feel uncomfortable in any way. Families should also immediately share the information with police. We commend the student and family for quickly reporting this incident, and we will continue to partner with law enforcement to maintain vigilance and strong communication about any matters connected to student safety. The police are using descriptions from the families’ reports in monitoring the area.
Please do not hesitate to reach out with questions. Thank you for your partnership.
Sincerely,
Dr. Zaks
No student was hurt in any of the incidents referenced by the schools. There wasn’t an indication if the man in each situation was the same man.
