JUPITER, Fla. — Police had an increased presence at a Jupiter elementary school Friday, one day after an 11-year-old girl was grabbed by an unidentified man while walking home from school.
The incident occurred about 2:30 p.m. Thursday as the student was walking home from Jerry Thomas Elementary School.
Jupiter police spokesman Shawn Reed said the girl resisted the man when he grabbed her on the sidewalk near the Chasewood South community on Central Boulevard. Reed said the girl was able to run away, and the man ran away as well.
The girl described the man who grabbed her as standing about 5-foot-4 and wearing a long-sleeve gray shirt, a black baseball cap, a black face covering and blue jeans. The attacker was described as being 20 to 30 years old.
Police were working with the School District of Palm Beach County as part of the investigation.
The school district provided WPTV with the following email sent to parents and staff at all Jupiter elementary, middle and high schools Tuesday afternoon:
The Jupiter Police Department is working to identify a man who reportedly tried to abduct a child in Jupiter this week. Thankfully, the child escaped safely. This information is being shared with parents, guardians and staff of all public schools in Jupiter. For now, there is no sketch of the individual, just a description. Jupiter police have increased patrols in the area where this has been reported to have occurred.
Parents who live nearby said this incident serves as another reason to teach children how to be mindful of their surroundings at all times.
"You have to know exactly where they are, who they are with and what's going on in your community," parent Amanda Lipke said. "It is a scary situation."
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police at 561-741-2391.
