HOUSTON
A Katherine Smith Elementary School student said he was walking on Hardway Street and Pinemont around 8am Tuesday when a man driving a black Mercedes Benz tried to pull the boy into his vehicle, according to recorded voice message by the school's principal, Gloria Salazar. The student was able to escape from the man and run away.
The suspect is described as a tall slim Hispanic man with a mustache. He was wearing a black t-shirt and blue jeans.
HISD is asking parents to remind their children that it's best to walk in groups or run away from approaching strangers. They're also asking parents to be on the lookout for and report suspicious people and vehicle and if possible walk their kids to school.
Below is a transcript of the phone call:
Good Evening, parents. This is Gloria Salazar, principal of Katherine Smith Elementary calling with important information.
This morning at approximately 8:00 a.m., one of our students was walking to school by himself on Hardway Street and Pinemont when a man driving a black Mercedes Benz attempted to pull the student into his vehicle. Thankfully, the student was able to escape from the man and run away.
The man is described as a tall, slim Hispanic man with a mustache. He was wearing a black t-shirt and blue jeans and driving a black Mercedes Benz.
We will be reminding our students to walk in groups and run away from strangers who may approach them.
Please remember that your child's safety is our number one priority. As our partners in this important endeavor we would ask that you:
• Please be on the look out for and report any suspicious people in the area
• If possible, please escort your child to school if they are walkers or to their bus stop if they ride a bus.
• Should your child have to walk to and from school or the bus stop without adult supervision, make sure he or she walks in a group and never alone.
• Parents, please remind your child if they are approached by a stranger to run away while making enough noise to call attention to the situation.
The HISD Police Department has added extra patrols in the area. If you have any questions regarding this matter please contact the school at 713-613-2542.
Again, this is Gloria Salazar calling from Katherine Smith Elementary.
