KIDNAP ATTEMPT PROMPTS WARNING

A 9 year old girl was abducted and released yesterday afternoon from outside of her home in Melville.  the girl was outside her home on Cottontail Road near the mailbox about 4:15 p.m. when a stranger driving a blue vehicle grabbed her.  The vehicle went a short distance down Cottontail road with the girl crying and screaming, when the driver stopped the car, opened the door and let her out.  The girl ran home and told her mother.  The man who briefly abducted the girl still on the loose, parents and police focused on spreading the kidnapper's description and keeping kids safe.  The man is described by the girl as a white male in his 20s or 30s, with brown, curly or wavy hair.  he has a mole or birthmark on his face.  He was wearing a green shirt, blue jeans, and green clog-type shoes.  The car is described as a blue sport utility vehicle, possibly foreign-made.  Laura Ahearn, director of Parents for Megan's Law, a sexual abuse and abduction prevention group, said a stranger abductor usually has a fantasy in which he believes the child might play a role.  When the child is not compliant, the person will often realize that the child is not going to play the role...and let them go, she said.  There are about 114,600 attempted non-family abductions in the United States each year, Ahearn said.  More than three-quarters of victims are girls, with the majority occurring within a quarter-mile of the child's home.  Police asked anyone with information to call CrimeStoppers at 800-220-TIPS.

TIPS FOR KIDS - These are some recommendations for parents on telling children how to avoid abductions and dangerous situations:

- CHECK FIRST.  Tell kids and teenagers to always check with a parent or guardian before going anywhere with an adult, even if they know that person.

- BUDDY UP.  Urge children to stick with friends or a sibling, even when they're on their own street or in a familiar place.  Most abductions occur close to home.

- MAKE SOME NOISE.  If grabbed by a would-be abductor, kids should kick, bite and scream.  Tell children to yell Help! This is not my mom or dad! to alert others that they are being abducted.

- KEEP YOUR DISTANCE.  Stay away from unfamiliar vehicles, and run in the opposite direction if approached.  Watch out for adults asking for directions, help, or strangers who say they know the children or their parents.

SOURCE: PARENTS FOR MEGAN'S LAW

(New York)