Parents On High Alert After Attempted Luring Outside P.S. 87 On Upper West Side
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Families are on edge after an attempted luring outside of an Upper West Side school Tuesday morning.
"My biggest fear always is people like this coming around our area," said parent Lori Famighetti.
For some, that fear was realized after word spread of a suspicious man near P.S. 87 on West 78th Street, CBS2's Alice Gainer reported.
Parents On High Alert After Attempted Luring Outside P.S. 87 On Upper West Side
An email was immediately fired off to parents, saying in part, "It has been reported to us that a man in a black SUV was in front of our school this morning. He got out of his car and approached two children telling them he had candy and asking if they wanted to come into this car. The children did not respond to the man."
There are only a few days left of school, but there will be an increased police presence as a result of the incident, Gainer reported.
Parents were quick to applaud the swift action, but not all were surprised.
"I think that stuff does happen on the Upper West Side. Sometimes people think it doesn't happen on the Upper West Side. Why wouldn't it?" said parent Lara Voss.
Famighetti, though, just couldn't believe it.
"This is P.S. 87. It's one of the better schools. The parents are very involved, so I can't imagine how this person parked on this block," she said.
Famighetti said she already follows a very specific drop-off plan with her babysitter.
"She has to walk my son to the door and take a picture everyday he goes to school," she said.
Now, teachers are reminding students about safety and strangers, and so are parents.
"We actually run through scenarios exactly like that," said Voss.
"I tell her not to talk to strangers. (Gainer: Will you talk to her again tonight now?) definitely," parent Liza Rivera said.
