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I'm certainly willing to be corrected by someone with different experience than I have but I have never heard of a school having a bus stop at a suburban strip mall. Stops are typically within neighborhoods, or maybe a particular school is a staging area for buses that go on to serve other school.
I also have a hard time with the idea of a 16 year old who doesn't know how to reach her parents - I mean, if you want to make that part of the story, claim to have lost your phone and you can't remember the number, which is reasonable, most people don't bother memorizing numbers any more.
I would have also called the police - probably 911 just because it's easier and quicker, and then they can assess the appropriate response time based on what else is happening.
I don't know if the 16 year old was in danger or if she was part of trying to set up a scenario that would have put the OP in danger. But all the experts on personal safety will tell you to listen to your instincts when they tell you something isn't right. There was something not right about this situation.
I would have called 911 or done something. If I found out later she had been killed, raped of kidnapped I never would have forgiven myself. Whatever her motives were and even if I was suspicious I would at a minimum have called a Lyft or Uber and if she refused then I would have been very skeptical of her motives. No way I would have taken her myself, that would only be asking for trouble.
After reading the responses here, I am changing my opinion. It sounded very off, and I agree with the previous posters who said to follow your instincts. That said, a young teen by herself in a parking lot is not right. I assume that the businesses in the strip mall were all closed at this time?
So, I'm going to change my vote and agree that calling the police is best for everyone's safety.
After reading the responses here, I am changing my opinion. It sounded very off, and I agree with the previous posters who said to follow your instincts. That said, a young teen by herself in a parking lot is not right. I assume that the businesses in the strip mall were all closed at this time?
So, I'm going to change my vote and agree that calling the police is best for everyone's safety.
No, they weren't. Starbucks was open (the majority of the people in the parking lot would've been going there), the breakfast place that I was going to was open, and the grocery store was open.
I'm going to add something else to this thread. I take photos of everything. Suspicious person or vehicle at home, at work or in the neighborhood? My phone is out and I slyly take photos. They are time/date stamped and may come in handy some day. It doesn't hurt to take the photo, you can delete later if you don't need it.
If the police ask what she looked like, you've got a photo for them to use.
Approaching strangers is often a ploy used by predators, and they often use an accomplice. Best to contact the police right away if you have your cell phone with you.
That is weird. A 16yo should definitely know how to contact a parent or other trusted adult.
This whole story is weird. My grandson is in Junior Kindergarten (Four year old kindergarten) and one of the goals is to learn at least one parents full phone number (including area code). My grandson can do that and my three year old grand-daughter is part way there.
I’m actually not in Houston or Texas, so school is still in session here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PriscillaVanilla
Approaching strangers is often a ploy used by predators, and they often use an accomplice. Best to contact the police right away if you have your cell phone with you.
Scary. Well, since the general consensus seems to be to call the police, hopefully one of the quick thinking adults who she approached after me did just that.
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