Residents of Armington were shaken up last week with reports of an attempted child abduction on Wednesday, June 16th. A social media post gained area-wide attention stating that an officer from the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Department had approached residents seeking information relating to the incident that happened in the town park. While details on the incident are sparse at this time, one source familiar with the investigation tells The Mail that multiple police agencies responded to the area to investigate the report.

Incidents such as these have a way of shaking up communities, and understandably so. In response to this unfortunate situation, The Mail has compiled a quick list of tips on how to avoid these incidents and what to do when they do occur:

“Don’t talk to strangers” - This advice has been the major rule for parents for generations. Although, this advice has morphed a bit in recent years into a more apt “Know when not to talk to strangers”. A child interacting with an unknown adult at, say, a festival while under the supervision of their parents or another trusted adult is perfectly fine. A child talking to an unknown adult while alone at the park is a red flag. Other useful advice to impart to a child is that “No trust-worthy adult will ask a child to keep a secret”. Any stranger telling a child something along the lines of “Don’t tell your parents!” should be an immediate indicator that the person is dangerous. Should something like that happen to your child, they need to know that the way to deal with the situation is to loudly yell “No!” while backing away and keeping an eye on the person. Once safely away, find a trusted adult and tell them all the details of the interaction, so that that adult can notify local police.

Oriented more for parents, it is incredibly important to have certain documents handy in case of an abduction. Custody papers and medical records are paramount, as well as having regularly updated color pictures of your children. In an abduction scenario, where time is of the essence, a clear photo of your child can make all the difference. Also avoid dressing your children in clothes with their names on it as children naturally have more trust for adults who use their name. Lastly, know where your children are at and set necessary boundaries. These boundaries may also have time limitations attached to them, for example, “You are not allowed at the park after 6 P.M.”

Finally, teach your children some form of self defense for the absolute worst case scenario. At a bare minimum, children need to know the vulnerable areas of a person’s body - the throat, eyes, and groin - and know how to effectively attack those areas in an emergency. Children should know that a swift kick to the groin is an incredibly effective way of disabling someone intent on harm. Your children don’t need to be Muay Thai experts, but practicing does go a long way to delivering effective strikes.

Unfortunately, predatory adults are a fact of life and can be encountered without warning. Teaching your children how to easily spot and move away from predators can make all the difference. Adults having certain information readily available can give authorities a jump in situations where seconds count. Hopefully, you and your family will never need to use these tips, but, it’s hard to think of a situation where “Better safe than sorry” is more appropriate.