School on Lockdown After Near Abduction

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School on Lockdown After Near Abduction

by TV20 News Desk · May 12th 2009 · See more Local News

A Williston elementary school was placed on lockdown this afternoon after two students were lured from the playground and into a truck.

The Joyce M. Bullock Elementary students described the person as a white or Hispanic male with black hair. He was possibly wearing a brown shirt, blue pants and black boots. He also may have a silver tooth and a dark spot or mole on his face.

At about 12:30 p.m., the two students were approached on the playground by the man and placed in a red and white truck. The man drove them about 100 yards across the front entrance of the campus before making them exit the truck and stand by the roadside.

A school employee observed the boys, contacted them and brought them back to campus. The school was immediately placed on lockdown to ensure the safety of the elementary students and staff.

All students are accounted for, and the Levy County Sheriff's Office and Williston Police Department are jointly conducting an investigation. The School Board and school officials are taking measures to ensure the safety and security of all students.

If you have any information regarding this incident, please contact the Levy County Sheriff's Office at 352-486-5111 or you can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-877-349-8477.

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Comments

How in the world could a stranger walk into a fenced playground and take two students to his truck? I believe the only entrance is going through a school hallway or open corridor - they cannot enter from the street. What was the teacher doing at that time? My child attends this school and I am appalled not only that this happened but that parents were not at all contacted. We had to hear about this on the news!!!@! I will walk my little girl to her classroom from now on.

Cathy 05/12/2009 07:01 pm

Where were the teachers. There are NO gates leading from playground to the road. What would have happened if the man had kept going? I called the school & they refused to tell me anything, they said an automated call would be delivered to all parents. This was not an attempted abduction or a near abduction this was plain & simple a full blown abduction! The man got away with 2 children& thankfully he let them go. How long would it have been before someone noticed they were gone?

Heather 05/12/2009 08:24 pm

What I want to know is what are going to be the consequences for the teachers and staff that LET this happen. You can't tell me that nobody saw this man. If the teachers would actually watch their students when they are at the playground instead of gathering around and discussing the latest gossip, maybe this would not have happened. Parents send their children to school under the assumption that it is a safe place. Obviously, that is no longer true. These teachers are paid not only to teach our children, but to supervise them. What kind of person ignores the fact that a man is taking off with a child? I believe that there should be some serious consequences to those that allowed this to happen.

Sara 05/13/2009 09:52 am

I allowed my children to ride the bus this morning after a long conversation with their bus driver, who I know on a personal level. I did end up going there this morning, it was about 7:30 (my daughter had forgotten something) and there were several children walking around on the campus and not one adult in sight! I went in to sign in and not one person asked me for ID. I left the office and walked to my daughter's class room (purposely putting my printed tag in my pocket) and not one person asked me what I was doing there. When I went back in to the office to complain that there were children walking around on campus with absolutely no supervision, I was told, "well, the bus drivers were told not to let children off the bus until 7:45". NOT the answer I expected, the person I spoke to should have immediately went outside herself to supervise the children or gotten somebody out there immediately. How are we suppose to feel safe about our children being in school when the day after an incident like this, the staff seems to just not care!!!??

Lyn 05/13/2009 11:28 am

My child goes to that school.I agree that the teachers should pay more attention to the children,but on behalf of the teachers that do watch them they pay alot of attention to the children. Its not all the teachers that stand in their little group and gossip. There are very good teachers that watch. I volunteer in my childs classroom everyday, and we pay attention to them . That does not make it any easier knowing some teachers dont care and dont pay attention.

Deasirea 05/13/2009 02:04 pm

I WOULD LIKE SAY HOW IN THE HECK CAN SOMEONE GO IN THIER AND GRABE THESE KIDS AND THEN THIER WERE 9 TEACHERS OUTSIDE...ALL I CAN SAY IS MY TWO GIRLS GOES TO THAT SCHOOL AND MY GIRLS ARE VERY BEAUTIFUL AND NOW IM SCARED FOR THEM TO GO TO SCHOOL....I REALLY HOPE THE PRINCIPAL AND TEACHERS DECIDE TO PUT UP CAMERAS,TO BE IN A VERY SAFE SIDE..SO PLEASE MAKE YOUR DECISION BEFORE IT HAPPENS AGAIN...THANK YOU

terri castillo 05/13/2009 04:58 pm