Rowandale School. Photo / RNZ
By RNZ
A South Auckland primary school will be holding safety talks with students today, after a stranger tried to abduct a student while he was walking home from school on Monday.
It was “every parent’s worst nightmare and every principal’s dread”, Rowandale School principal Karl Vasau told RNZ.
“Luckily, there were parents there that intervened and the man drove away.”
Police are now investigating the incident in Manurewa.
Vasau said the 9-year-old boy has a very supportive family and it was his first day walking home alone.
“This was a day ... he decided to convince his parents would be the first day he could walk all the way home by himself, so what a great start to him being independent and brave and his parents being trusting in him.
“We’re very happy that the outcome turned out the way it did, but very, very cautious and upset that this was an experience this student had on Monday.”
The focus today would be connecting with as many people who intervened as possible, he said.
The school had a teacher-only day on Tuesday and today children will spoken to about safety when walking home.
“We’re just going to reinforce the messages that we would hope would be normal for them, in what does safety walking to and from school look like, what are they supposed to be doing, who are they allowed to be walking with, where are they going.
“What’s important is that we don’t create a fear among our kids of other people and adults because in this instance a stranger supported one of our students and so we don’t want to create that stranger danger thing but if someone that you don’t know is asking you to do something that you know is wrong, seek support or move away and get home as soon as possible.”
The children will be told it is important to talk to their parents about what has happened and parents will be asked to reinforce safe practices with their children.
Police would be patrolling the premises after school today and education officers will also speak with the children.
Police said they have spoken to the child and are working through a careful process because of his age.
“At around 3pm, a man approached a young boy and began interacting with him as he was walking home on the footpath,” police said.
“Nearby adults intervened and the male left the area.”
Vasau urged parents or students who saw what happened to tell the school or contact the police using case number PO62455386.
A relative claiming to be the student’s uncle said on social media the suspect approached the boy at about 3.05pm on Monday afternoon.
The post on Facebook went on to say this individual tried to take the boy by force outside the main gates of Good News Family Church on Rowandale Rd, before two individuals intervened in the attempted abduction.
He said the family were asking these people to contact police and report what they witnessed.
The family member described the suspect as a Polynesian man, estimated to be in his mid-50s to 60s, wearing a camouflage hunting jersey and long black pants.
He was reported by the family to be driving a small white sedan with swear words written on the side panels and an image of a raised middle finger.
-RNZ
The council has apologised for any 'short-term inconvenience' the issue caused.