The report of a young girl having been abducted by a van near School 10 on Friday morning was a false alarm, according to police and the school district.
Police swarmed the area at about 8:30 a.m. after getting report of an abduction close to the school on Mercer Street. A pair of students told school officials they saw a suspect put a bag over the head of a young girl and forced her into a van, according to police sources.
“We reviewed video that shows the van had been dropping off and picking up students for the last couple of weeks,” said a police source on Friday afternoon. “The van was there this morning picking up a kid.”
Police director Jerry Speziale said police responded to the area and had the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office’s child abduction team deployed at the school.
Some parents picked up their students early on Friday after learning about the possible abduction.
“We have received word from the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office that this morning’s report of a possible abduction near Public School 10 has been found to be false,” said Paul Brubaker, spokesman for the Paterson Public Schools. “No child was abducted this morning as was originally reported.”
The district is urging students to:
- Go straight home after school
- Check in upon reaching their destination
- Practice Stranger Safety
- Notify a trusted adult of any concerns
- Avoid traveling alone in the evening and on weekends.
“We thank all parents and law enforcement officers for their cooperation and help today,” said the spokesman.
Last month, there were reports of a white van attempting to lure young girls near School 12.
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