Child-abduction expert: Don’t say ‘stranger danger’

FORT MYERS, Fla. Two words commonly used to describe attempted child abduction may be putting children at risk.

The term “stranger danger” is ineffective, and it mistakenly conveys the idea to children that only strangers can harm them, according to Nancy A. McBride, Executive Director of Florida outreach for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Parents should instead teach their children to recognize potentially dangerous situations, according to McBride’s research. Predators are known to try to lure children into cars, so McBride believes it’s key to warn children against following the instructions of anyone who tries to get them to do so.

“If anyone asks you to approach their vehicle, or get in their vehicle, or is asking you questions, this is not a time to be polite — this is a time to turn and run,” she said.

A man tried to pull a child into his car Sunday in Cape Coral, police said, sparking more fears among parents and a message to parents from officers:

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