Four Bellevue School District schools have issued alerts to parents and guardians over the past two months regarding child luring reports from students that law enforcement believe are not connected.
Tillicum Middle School was the first to issue an alert regarding an incident on Sunday, Jan. 5, where two students reported a man approached them in Lake Hills Park and asked them a “question that made them uncomfortable.” One of the students ran to their home nearby and alerted their parents, who contacted the Bellevue Police Department. The letter states police made contact with the man, but did not specify what actions were taken after.
The Bellevue Police states that subject was determined to have not been involved. Public Information Officer Carla Iafrate directed questions about these child luring cases by the Reporter and concerned parents back to the school district through email on Wednesday.
“The Bellevue Police department is and will investigate all reported cases immediately and thoroughly,” her email states. “There have been 4 reports of luring in the last three months at four different schools by four different victims. They do not appear to be related.”
The second report involved a Chinook Middle School student, who reported Monday, Jan. 6, that a man approached them at their bus stop near Northeast 10th Street and 92nd Avenue Northeast in a gray, four-door sedan with one red tire rim on the rear driver’s side and offered them a ride. The student ran away and told their parents, who alerted police.
Enatai Elementary released a letter on Jan. 15 regarding an incident that occurred after school on Jan. 14 involving a student who was approached while they were walking home from their bus stop in the Surrey Downs neighborhood and offered them a ride. The student ran away and told their parent, who contacted police. The man was reportedly driving a beige, light brown or white car, possibly a Mercedes.The school notified security personnel and transportation staff, including bus drivers with routes in that area.
The last report of possible child luring is alleged to have occurred on Friday, Jan. 31, involving a Somerset student on the Woodridge Elementary campus. The student reported being approached by a man in a vehicle he initially believed was his mother’s while leaving the campus. The man reportedly ordered the child to get into his vehicle, causing him to run back into the school for safety.
All letters issued by BSD schools reminded parents to review safety precautions with their children. The Issaquah School District reports it does not believe these cases are related to child luring incidents reported by two female students there Jan. 29 and Jan. 30.
