A Threat At The Curb

To the Editor:

This week my heart skipped a beat. I have three children, a husband, and a fairly hectic life, so this has happened before. This time however, it truly skipped a beat from sheer fear. My two sons and their friend were returning home from school around 3:30 Thursday afternoon, as they usually do. The bus dropped them off at the corner of our road and the boys made their way up the grassy patch towards our house. My older son, who is 12, ran ahead, leaving the two 9-year-olds to walk the last few yards by themselves. My 15-year-old was inside waiting for them.

A dark blue Chrysler pulled up very close to the curb. The window came down enough to reveal a man in his mid-thirties, with pale skin, dark hair gelled back, and wearing sunglasses. He asked the two boys if they wanted a ride. They told the man No, that their house was just up ahead. He drove off up our block and the boys went inside. About 15 minutes later they went outside to play and they saw the car drive up the street once more.

I arrived about 15 minutes later and once I heard what had happened, I called the police. The officer arrived quickly, asked the boys to repeat their story to him, and took down the details they were able to give. He was very thorough and gentle. I felt comforted by the speedy arrival and diligence of the police officer. I have since told parents on my street that use the bus, what occurred, as well as telling the bus driver. The head of the bus company called me to get the details so she could then pass the details on to her drivers.

Not wanting to put fear into Newtown residents, I struggled with this incident and what I could do as a responsible resident. I have chosen to write this letter, hoping that parents will be more aware and with our collective consciousness around this incident, make it impossible for this individual to cause anyone else’s heart to miss a beat.

Leslie Reingold-Lew

29 Currituck Road, Newtown                          October 26, 2007