An unidentified man attempted to abduct a 13-year-old East Lansing middle school student Monday.
The student had just exited through the north doors of MacDonald Middle School, 1601 Burcham Drive, when she was approached by a white male in his late 20s, police said.
The man spoke briefly to the girl, telling her he wanted her to go with him. When the girl tried to walk away the man grabbed her backpack. The child broke free and ran to her bus.
The child didn’t report the attempted abduction until later that day when her parents returned home.
“It is very fortunate no one was hurt,” said East Lansing police Lt. Tom Johnstone.
The man is described by police as a white male in his late 20s, about six feet tall with blond hair and bright blue eyes. There is no vehicle description.
This is the first attempted child abduction this year in East Lansing.
“We have had incidents in the past, but nothing that fits the same description,” said Johnstone. “We are going to contact other agencies around the state to see if there are other similar incidents.”
Kevin Green, East Lansing Public Schools’ assistant to the superintendent, said East Lansing elementary schools and middle schools are safe environments.
“The buildings are kept locked,” Green said. “Once school starts people can only enter through the main entrance.
“We have faculty and staff monitor students outside the building as well,” he said.
East Lansing police also increased security around East Lansing schools Tuesday and will continue to do so for a few days.
“It is common with us in the morning and afternoons to have extra patrol cars around the schools,” Johnstone said.
Green said the incident was most likely addressed individually in the classrooms, and the faculty is reinforcing the district’s rules and regulations.
“In schools the rules pertain to safety issues,” Green said. “We are reinforcing the regulations that are in place through letters to parents, making parents more aware of the rules and regulations.”
The schools and the East Lansing Police Department have safety tips for children and parents, such as being aware of surroundings, not talking to strangers and to notify an adult if a child sees something unusual.
“School safety is something we are always concerned with,” said Johnstone. “An attempted pickup increases everyone’s awareness, from kids to parents.”
