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Crime & Safety

Chelsea King's Death One Year Later: Teaching Children About Stranger Danger

How to talk to your kids about a sensitive subject.

I remember where I was and what I was doing when I first heard about Chelsea King’s disappearance, one year ago.  I was at home with my family and I knew something was terribly wrong.  As a mother, Chelsea’s kidnapping and murder shook me to the core.  Then the revelation that the same monster who took Chelsea’s life, also killed Amber Dubois, made me weep.

There are many lessons to be learned from that dark chapter in our county’s history.  For parents, it’s a reminder that we must talk with our children about a sensitive subject: stranger danger. 

According to findings in NISMART (National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway and Throwaway Children research project), every year approximately 58-thousand missing children are abducted by non-family members.

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The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children stresses the “3 C’s” when talking to kids about stranger-safety: Caution, Communication and Confidence.

Caution:  Children should always stick together and never play alone outside.  Make sure your child knows it’s OK to yell “NO!” and even shout “FIRE”  if someone makes them feel uncomfortable or tries to grab them.  Teach them the common lures that abductors use such as looking for lost pets or offering candy.

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Communication: Have your children learn their address and phone number.  Practice a secret code word with your kids and share that code word with other trusted adults.

Confidence: Tell your children they are strong, smart and have the right to be safe.  Arm them with important information.  If they walk or ride a bike to school, designate safe places they can run to for help.  Make sure they know the “safe strangers” such as store clerks, police officers and teachers. 

Brian has two daughters, ages 5 and 7 ½, and says his older daughter recently took a “Play It Safe” class with her Daisy troop. 

“Not only did the girls enjoy the class, they learned a lot about strangers, safety and self-defense techniques for kids.  I would highly recommend a similar class,” said Brian.

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