September 13th, 2009Here’s another kidnapping story with a thankfully happy ending.
A Day At The Park
On August 29, 2009, an 11-year-old girl (who was not identified by name) was with her family at Jefferson Park in Salt Lake City, Utah. After informing her family that she had to use the restroom, she walked toward the restroom, alone. According to Ogden Police Lt. Tony Fox, a man later identified as Fernando Deleon-Barrios, 51, pulled up next to her in his SUV and told her, “Get in the vehicle. Your parents sent me to bring you home.” For some reason, the young girl believed Deleon-Barrios and got into the car with him.
911 Caller Saves The Day
Later that day, a woman who identified herself to a 911 call dispatcher as Maria Maurer, placed a call around 6:00 p.m. from the Ogden Days Inn using a friend’s cell phone. Following her gut feeling, she reportedly told the dispatcher, “I just saw a guy go into a room with a little girl… I’m very concerned because she looked a little bit nervous going in with him by herself.” Lt. Fox said Deleon-Barrios told the girl her parents were waiting in the hotel room for her.
Thanks in part to the 911 dispatcher, who took the call seriously, police were quickly dispatched to the scene and able to apprehend Deleon-Barrios before any harm was done to the girl. Deleon, who informed police that he was from Los Angeles, has a criminal record for theft, but his record does not include any sex crimes.
What We Can Learn
Despite all we do to teach our kids not to talk to strangers, Deleon-Barrios must have been convincing enough to get this young girl to trust him. What are some things we can do as parents to teach our kids to be more aware?
Use a code word or ask for some sort of identifying information. The young girl in this story said if someone ever approaches her again, she will ask him for identifying information, such as her father’s name, his place of work, his phone number, or anything else that implies personal knowledge. I think that using a code word is also a good idea, something that is unique and not easily guessed, just as a password would be.
Do not let your child go to the restroom alone. Okay, call me paranoid, but look at what can happen. A predator can hide in the restroom and molest your child or change their appearance before you know it. I’m not saying you have to personally go into the stall with them (although I still do), but you should at the minimum escort them to the restroom and wait for them at the entrance. Since Felicity is starting to get old enough to go by herself, I stand outside the stall and wait for her. I don’t take any chances.
I’m sure there are other mothers with more to add on this. Please feel free to add your comments below.
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I can’t agree with you more. Thank goodness there was an alert citizen who was proactive and got involved. Could you imagine the consequences, had she not? We use a code word with our kids.
There was an incident when I was in 3rd grade in a store similiar to Walmart. There was a young girl who went to the toy department while her mother shopped and she had disappeared. Right away, the store went on lockdown. It turns out that the attempted kidnapper had somehow taken the little girl into the changing room (obviously this was before hidden cameras were installed in stores) and put a wig on the little girl and changed her clothes into boy clothes to disguise her appearance. Fortunately, the girl’s mother recognized the child as her own and the attempted kidnapper was apprehended, but it goes to show, that when a sick individual is determined to harm someone, they have no limits!
Oh thank goodness that the little girl was found before any harm came to her.
I totally agree with you about never allowing children go in the bathroom by themselves.
I never let my children do it. When my son was younger, I even used to take him in the ladies room with me because I didn’t have my husband with me to take him in the men’s room. I always went in the stall with my children and hold them because I didn’t want them to sit on the seat!!
I think using a code word is great because there are too many sickos in the world today.
We need to keep our children & grandchildren safe!!
I agree. The woman who called 911 was a hero in my eyes.