This story is about my 9 year old son and I am sure that those who read this story will be  some what shocked and scared . Or at least I hope it will shock and scare every parent ,aunt ,uncle and grandparent out there .

I have raised my son with what I felt were all the right values. He has been taught to be polite ,helpful , caring and respectful of his elders .Yet I have also had the same talk with him about strangers since the age of three. He has been told we do not talk to strangers ,we do not go with strangers or accept anything from them . On November 7 I realized I failed in really making the stranger thing clear . So I ask my self how many other parents have went over this information again and again with their kids . Gave all the right speeches and told them what to do if they got lost in a store and never go look for a puppy or leave with a stranger . I bet most of us have . Yet how do we know it did any good ? Until it happens you do not .

Let me start off with a little back tracking here . In late September we bought a new house in the community where my mother grew up . Part of our reason for buying this home was that our kids could play outside in a safe neighborhood . I know 85 to 90 % of my neighbors and have for 33 years now . Of course this is a community of less than 100 people I would say . We are off the main highway you rarely see a strange car . It is the picture of rural America . Neighbors look out for each other and we all look after each others kids when they are outside riding bikes all over or walking around .Sound like a great safe place to raise your kids right ? Yet that morning the communities peace of mind and safety was shattered .

That morning we got our son up as usual and ready for school . Told him we loved him to be good at school and watched him walk as far as we could see on his way to the bus stop. Due to the location of our house and the bus stop we can not see him at the bus stop . We waited to hear the bus back up the hill then started to plan the day .