Anonymous
Source: Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office
The Sheriff’s Office is investigating a child-annoying incident that occurred at approximately 2:15 p.m. on December 13, 2018 in the area of N. San Marcos Road near University Drive. An eight-year-old Foothill Elementary School student was walking home alone after being released from school. While walking in the 300 block of N. San Marcos Rd., a female suspect, approximately 30 to 50 years old, approached the girl in a late model, silver-colored 4-door sedan, possibly a Honda or Toyota. The suspect had shoulder length blond hair that was partially shaved in the back, above the neck. The suspect asked the student to get in her car. The student, realizing this was a potentially dangerous situation, immediately ran away. The suspect was last seen turning westbound onto University Dr. from N. San Marcos Rd.
The incident was reported to the Sheriff’s Office yesterday, December 16, 2018 and is under investigation. The Sheriff’s Office has been working closely with the Goleta Union School District regarding this incident. If you have any information that would assist investigators, you are asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 805-683-2724 or call our Anonymous Tip-Line at 805-681-4171. You can also go to our website at https://www.sbsheriff.org/
The Sheriff’s Office encourages parents of young children to reinforce the importance of creating space between themselves and any stranger that may attempt to contact them. Additionally, any suspicious encounter between a young child and any stranger should be immediately reported to law enforcement.
We would also like to take this opportunity to encourage parents to have discussions with their children about how to best protect themselves at home, going to and from school, while they are out and about and on their phones or on the internet. Please take a moment to review the “25 Ways to Make Kids Safer” from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. We recommend printing this document and putting in a place in your house where you are reminded all year long about these important, potentially life-saving tips.
Very Sad. Children should be able to feel Safe at School & walking to and from. This is NOT ACCEPTABLE! Never was! Never will be! Parent’s be Vigilant. Teach your children well. Explain the difference between Trusting No One,and just being Safe. Stay Calm,Your in SantaBarbara. Still one of the safer places to grow up. Lets work on Keeping it That Way.
When I was a kid I walked home alone from school at 8 years old but I lived one block from the school and it was a very quiet and private Street between the school in my house. I don’t think that I would allow my daughter to walk home alone when she’s only 8 years old! Obviously at least a few blocks from school if she goes to Foothill school and this afternoon send Marcos Road. Come on parents, don’t be lazy, protect your kids and walk with them!
I wouldn’t let my kids walk home alone, but some parents don’t have the time to pick up their kids, just sucks that this had to happen, smart kid for running away
When I was in second grade, I’d routinely (unaccompanied) take the bus from my house on the Westside to downtown, and would often go to the Saturday matinee (double feature, 5 cartoons and a serial episode) at the California Theater in the first block of W. Canon Perdido Street. Afterward, I’d saunter up State Street, maybe buy a candy Bar at Pelch’s at State & Anapamu, and either walk the rest of the way home or take another bus. I guess I was a free-range kid, as were most of my peers. Life was different in the 1950s. NOW GET OFF MY LAWN!
We live in a culture where our President is handing guns to school janitors to keep us safe.