Updated 7 :30 p.m.: Prince William County Schools is warning residents that a young girl was approached Tuesday evening by an unknown individual in a dark blue car with dark-tinted windows at Marsteller Middle School in Bristow.
The police are not calling this an abduction attempt, but they are investigating the incident.
Police confirmed that at 7 p.m., the individual told the young girl that she arrived to pick her up; however, the child knew she was being picked up by a relative. When she told the suspicious individual this information, the car drove away.
Police believe the individual is female.
According to Irene Cromer, Supervisor of Community Relations for Prince William County Schools, Marsteller Middle School Principal Roberta Knetter sent an auto-call message to all parents and guardians of students attending Marsteller Middle School Wednesday afternoon.
The message read:
Hello. This is Roberta Knetter, Principal of Marsteller Middle School.
I am calling to fill you in on a situation that has sparked some concern and of what we are doing to assure student safety.
We learned this morning that one of our students reported being approached by an unknown person in a blue vehicle while waiting for a relative to pick her up after school yesterday. The person claimed to have been sent to pick her up, but the student said no and the person drove away. Police and school security are investigating and are keeping an extra watch on this situation. We will be alerting other schools as well.
Please talk to your students about this incident and remind them to avoid talking to strangers or approaching unknown vehicles. Ask them to alert school authorities or police of any incident that makes them feel uncomfortable. Together, we can assure their continued safety.
Additionally, Cromer said the school district sent a letter home with elementary school students Wednesday afternoon. It read:
Dear Parents/Guardians:
In the interest of student safety and open communication, I am writing to alert you to a situation that occurred yesterday at nearby Marsteller Middle School and that remains under investigation by police and PWCS security.
We learned this morning that a Marsteller student reported being approached by an unknown person in a blue vehicle while waiting for a relative to pick her up after school yesterday. The person claimed to have been sent to pick her up, but the student said no, and the person drove away.
While there is no cause for alarm, this is a good opportunity to remind students to avoid talking to strangers or approaching unknown vehicles. Explain how important it is for them to alert you; or another appropriate adult, if they see or hear anything that causes concern or makes them feel uncomfortable. Reinforcing these measures with your student is an important factor in community safety.
Please be assured that your children are safe at school and that their continuing safety is our highest priority each day.
Thank you for your continued support.
Parents and children should be on the lookout for suspicious behavior and children should avoid getting in a car with someone they do not know. Parents may want to discuss the incident with their children as they deem appropriate.
Bristow Beat will update with more information as it becomes available.
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