An incident took place Sunday afternoon in Palm Coast’s R-Section that rattled a boy and his mother, and has since rippled beyond the R-Section into an alert throughout local schools about a potential sex offender. But evidence is based on a single report.
At mid-afternoon May 19, the 11-year-old came home extremely upset to tell his mother that as he was riding his bicycle on Red Mill Drive, between Red Barn Drive and Renshaw Drive, he was approached by a shiny, black, full-size van being driven by a black male. According to a police report filed that day, the man was described as having a medium complexion, shoulder length dread locks, and was last seen wearing a black jacket or long sleeve shirt with a white undershirt and a blue tie.
Approaching the boy, the man said, according to the report: “Hey, kid I have candy, toys, and as much play time and you can eat as much as you want as long as you get in the van.”
The boy was scared and remembered safety precautions that his mother has taught him. According to the report, “he screamed and began to ride his bicycle as fast as he could eastbound on Red Mill Drive, because the van was facing west bound on Red Mill Drive in the swale.” The boy took side roads to get home quickly and tell his mother.
The school district issued a recorded, automated alert to the R Section, and Tuesday afternoon, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office issued an “advisory for child safety,” summarizing Sunday’s events.
“We are investigating this report, but at this time we have had no other similar reports,” Flagler County Sheriff Jim Manfre said in the advisory. “However, it is always timely for parents to remind their youngsters to never talk with strangers and report suspicious activities.”
The release adds that anyone who may have information on this incident is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 313-4911.
The boy’s mother issued a Facebook alert of her own: “I have been in shock regarding the events that happened on Sunday, but after receiving an automated messgae from the Flagler County Schools regarding the incident, I feel I must add to the information provided by the Sheriff’s Dept.,” she wrote. “I am very protective of my children. They say I am over-protective. My son was almost abducted on Sunday afternoon two streets from my home. It is a sad day and age when we can’t let our 11.5 yr old kids out to bike to a friend’s house, but really we can’t without worry. My son burst through the door 15 minutes late as I was just on my way out to look for him.”
She then describes the details included in the police report, and said the police had her son “pick the man out from his mug shot.” She named the alleged offender, a resident of Rose Drive in Palm Coast designated a sex offender based on a 2006 offense in Virginia, and described him as “dressed nice in a black suit with white button up and blue tie.” She goes on to write that her son “is not a statistic because of his bravery for one and because he was educated by an over-protective mother who has rehearsed over and over what to do if a stranger approaches and speaks this kind of crazy stuff. My boy knew the steps to take and followed them through one by one, to make it home to me. The police were amazed that he knew so well what to do. It made me so proud!”
She then provides the sort of tips she had taught her son.
ANONYMOUSAY says
That’s a whole bunch of details about suits and t-shirts for a kid on a bike and the driver not exiting the van. And if the kid took side roads and this and that to get home quickly as the article mentioned why was he fifteen minutes late? Late to the point his mom was going to look for him? Or was he already late, knew a sex offender lived near by and this fantabulous story fit his cause? By the way the offender not mentioned by name was involved with a female in Virginia.
Marvelous says
If a grown man wanted to kidnap an 11 year old, he would just grab the kid not sit and have a conversation. But better to be cautious.
Leisa says
Little Johnny might just be covering up his tracks for the day cause his momma sounds a bit EXTREME !!! But in all caution, if anyone else has seen this “dressed up guy” in a black van talking to other kids then we got a problem.
blondee says
I have a feeling this story might change in the next few days.
A-Parent_who_cares says
Why are people so doubtful of this child’s account of events and ni a sense putting him on trial, instead of admitting that we have sickos here in our community? This is unfair to both the child and his mother. I myself was a victim of an attempted kidnapping in the 80’s in Daytona Beach. There have always been attempted and successful kidnappings in this general area. Let’s get our heads out of the sand and admit that we must be more vigilant in protecting our children because there are sick people everywhere who are interested in kidnapping both boys and girls for their own sick pleasures and stop blaming the child or parent in this situation.
Maryjoe says
Apparently her son picked someone out of a book, according to the mother and he just happened to have been a registered sex offender? Are you thinking she’s lying? Why? I’m a little confused here.
Pete says
We need cops on the street and not in the school?
By the way, I never see them on patrol?
a pc mom says
Details are wrong. Van was facing eastbound, child had to ride westbound… through a patch of woods to Rymfire Ln. had to cross Rymfire, ride in front of the school on the sidewalk and then cross Rymfire again to turn onto Renshaw to get home. This incident would make any mother appear extreme! The boy heard what the man said because the man was standing next to his van on the road. That is why he got a good description. The boy did not get close enough to him to be grabbed. The details have been varied, but these are facts..everyone loves to try to discredit one another, why not stand together? That is what has gone wrong with our country.
Mike says
Wow…a BLACK van. Very, very rare. And the man was wearing a black suit? He must have been REALLY hot, especially with the white shirt and blue tie on underneath all of that! Plus dreadlocks. What a very bizarre combination; he would stick out like a sore thumb. And he tells the child ALL the reasons why you should NOT get into a car with strangers to entice him inside? Not just one incentive? And the child was already potentially late to get home?
Mr concerned citizen says
Yeah blondee your right on the money on this one! Sound like a concocted story by the boy to cover his tardiness to momma, sounds to me like momma prepped the kid about sex offenders in the area and thenthought HEY! This a great way to cover my butt! Tell momma that the guy she warned me about did this then HEY! No time out! No going to bed without supper!! I hope I’m wrong but the police have ways of seeing a trend in interrogating this boy to see if the story is legit. Or if its fabricated good luck detectives you should get the truth out of the boy sooned or later and momma use Facebook as social media not tell all your friends about how the police should be doing there jobs HUH! Take up baking or somthing!!!!
ryan says
I am surprised at how the little boy is almost being called a liar. It seems that people are worried that some sex offender might be harmed, if we talk about this too much, but this is a real issue and I am sick of pedophiles getting a pass. I guess this issue distracts from the yard sale registration issue or other trivial BS. I am so sick of angry people getting accurate news out of the spotlight out of fear that it creates a negative perception of the community.
anonymous says
In the R section specifically, I saw over 3 officers sitting in the middle of the road talking to a man in the middle of the road. One officer was smoking a cigarette and instead of moving out of the way possibly into the drive way they ALL stared at us as we had to go into the grass to go around them….RUDE. I feel terrible when an officer of the law is hit….but then i see things like this and it makes you think…
ryan says
As I said, trivial crap matters more in this town than like a cop standing in the streets.