Man attempts to abduct 9 year old boy from school in front of many witnesses

He walked into a classroom with 2 teachers, picked the child up in his arms, and attemped to walk out with him!!!


Before I even post this article, can I just say, not only how scary as crap this is as a parent, but how very bold and brazen this act was by this man! To do this in front of the teachers, and many others, just, WOW!

A 29-year-old man who allegedly walked into an Oregon elementary school and tried to kidnap a nine-year-old boy was stopped when the child's teachers realized what was going on and gave chase.

Joshua Brown walked through the the front doors of Joseph Gale Elementary School in Forest Grove on Thursday afternoon as hundreds of children were filing out for the day, police said.

He then reportedly strode into a classroom and picked up a third-grade boy, before attempting to walk out with him. However, two teachers, Sienna Garrett and Staci Heath, were in the room at the time.

Ms Heath, who was the first one to spot Brown, immediately demanded that he put the boy down while the child exclaimed loudly that he did not know the man who was holding him, school officials said.

So glad this kid was taught this! If he had said nothing, this sicko would have succeeded!

Brown then allegedly panicked and dropped the boy on the ground, before fleeing from the school. But within seconds, the school's principal, Gretchen Schlag, and other staff members had given chase.

While Ms Heath and Ms Garrett apparently remained inside the school to ensure the nine-year-old boy and other students were safe, Ms Schlag and her colleagues followed Brown out of the gates.

They reportedly called 911 as they pursed Brown into the surrounding neighborhood. Minutes later, the suspect was arrested by police - although Ms Schlag said the chase 'felt like it lasted forever.'

Now, Brown is facing on multiple charges, including kidnapping and burglary, for his alleged actions at the school at 3130 18th Ave. He was already wanted on a felony warrant, OregonLive reported.

So very grateful this jerk didn't have a gun and no one got hurt!

Although the young boy he picked up was naturally 'shy', he was 'very vocal' in alerting Ms Heath and Ms Garrett to the fact that he did not know the man who was holding him, Ms Schlag said.

'He did a very nice job of saying "I don't know this person. This is a stranger. I don't know who you are",' she told Fox1 2, adding that Brown was only in the school for around one minute in total.

Police have not yet established a motive, nor a connection between Brown and Joseph Gale, KPTV reported. There is not thought to be a connection between the suspect and the unidentified child.

Ms Schlag said she will now be placing additional staff members near the school's main entrance in a bid to enhance students' safety. Staff patrolling the area will be given walkie-talkies, she said.

I'm so glad they got this creep! Seriously THRILLED this kid found his voice when he needed it most. A lot of things went right for this school when they needed it to. That this creep actually listened to this teacher when she said 'drop him'! He could have taken off running with the kid! Thank God for him being high or drunk or whatever and not thinking clearly. This kid might need therapy, who knows. I hope not since the teachers were there to not only stop it, but soothe him afterwards. I hope that helps in this kids' healing. PLEASE to whatever judge/jury out there, put this sicko away for a LONG time, not some pansy sentence for him to try this again! I hope his warrant included some crime that has a long sentence to be added to this crime. I'm begging!

a reply to: Anyafaj

They should have shot him and I wouldn't have any sympathy.there is no rehab for SO's

a reply to: Anyafaj

As a parent...this makes me happier than you know.
Nice to see a proper ending.

Felony warrant already? For what I wonder...

a reply to: Anyafaj

I'm sure the parents of the boy are extremely grateful to those two teachers and the principal. However, here's the big question I have, if the boy wouldn't have been vocal and alerted the teachers that this was a stranger, would he have been allowed to walk out of the school with this boy?

I know in our school, if anyone is in our school without an ID badge, teachers are required to stop them and direct them to go to the main office. explain the purpose of their visit and require them to show proper ID. A parent walking into a classroom without being notified by the school's front office, is a huge red flag. In this day and age with all the school shootings and kidnappings, school staff must be alert at all times when it comes to strangers entering the building.

originally posted by: BlueJacket
a reply to: Anyafaj

As a parent...this makes me happier than you know.

Nice to see a proper ending.

My daughter knows all the rules, but seriously, there is no training for a man just walking into the classroom and abducting your kid in front of their teachers! Nothing can quite prepare you for that horror! And it wasn't the school's fault. There doors were open because they were letting kids out at the end of the day. It's not exactly a jail where the kids are Rapunzel and must stay in the tower. There quite literally IS NO preparation for this, except what that kid did, and that's what we do teach our kids. If someone grabs you, yell you're not my dad. Sadly, this doesn't always work in a public setting. The TV show "What Would You Do?" showed this. They had two actors, a man and a kid, the man kept grabbing at the kid, and in most cases, when the kid said, "You're not my dad!", people ignored, or if they came over and intervened, the adult explained it as his kid being unruly, convincing the adults to leave. Unbelievable! I saw the episode. They even talked with the grown ups who had a "I thought someone else would do it" mentality. A cop supervising was shocked. Frankly, so am I.

originally posted by: Noonereallygetsit
Felony warrant already? For what I wonder...

If he was high or drunk when he did this, I'll take wagers now and say drugs, or burglary for drugs.

2nd

originally posted by: WeRpeons
a reply to: Anyafaj

I'm sure the parents of the boy are extremely grateful to those two teachers and the principal. However, here's the big question I have, if the boy wouldn't have been vocal and alerted the teachers that this was a stranger, would he have been allowed to walk out of the school with this boy?

I know in our school, if anyone is in our school without an ID badge, teachers are required to stop them and direct them to go to the main office. explain the purpose of their visit and require them to show proper ID. A parent walking into a classroom without being notified by the school's front office, is a huge red flag. In this day and age with all the school shootings and kidnappings, school staff must be alert at all times when it comes to strangers entering the building.

I'd be willing to bet those teachers didn't know him from Adam and wouldn't have allowed him to leave. It would not surprised me to have had one of them call the front office for Security, or at least to have someone come verify who he is. That's the rule here and almost EVERY major school too. Some schools you have to be buzzed into after they see who you are and show ID into the camera.

a reply to: Anyafaj

What a great story! Good for this boy for alerting the teachers.

My imagination envisions a gated iron fence of some sort just at the edge of the inner school doorway/office that no one can get past without being buzzed in. The schools here in Calgary (Canada) are all locked after students start school. One has to buzz in by talking through an intercom. However once in then it's another story and anyone with a gun or weapon could in theory take a number of students/adults down. Also when kids leave school they exit from all the side doors which are unmanned by staff which allows for easy entry.

I think schools need far better security barriers in place.

originally posted by: ccseagull
a reply to: Anyafaj

What a great story! Good for this boy for alerting the teachers.

My imagination envisions a gated iron fence of some sort just at the edge of the inner school doorway/office that no one can get past without being buzzed in. The schools here in Calgary (Canada) are all locked after students start school. One has to buzz in by talking through an intercom. However once in then it's another story and anyone with a gun or weapon could in theory take a number of students/adults down. Also when kids leave school they exit from all the side doors which are unmanned by staff which allows for easy entry.

I think schools need far better security barriers in place.

These kids were exiting the building at the end of the day. That's how he got in. The school has now changed things up because once again, some idiot ruined it for everybody. I know most school post teachers at the exits because they have to monitor kids are getting on the right buses, parents are picking up the right kids. Especially with the elementary schools, such as this one. In most elementary schools here, the teachers will walk out with the kids to the buses and the parents cars. Obviously this creep slipped in at some point.

Ms Schlag said she will now be placing additional staff members near the school's main entrance in a bid to enhance students' safety. Staff patrolling the area will be given walkie-talkies, she said.

In my little town in the world, everyone excluding students and known personnel have to check in with the office. It is stationed right next to the entrance and if someone were attempting to avoid this request, the police could be called immediately and staff would respond appropriately. That man should have NEVER been allowed to walk through the school, down the hall and to the classroom in the first place. If he had a gun, just think of the carnage that could have been delivered. That school is negligent in student safety protocol and this will be a great wake up call for them to get on the ball.

a reply to: Anyafaj

Thanks for the details Anyafaj, I obviously wasn't paying attention.

All parents worry about their kids playing anywhere outside of home and I just can't believe that we also have to worry while our kids are in school. But one can't reason with "crazy".

I know teachers get trashed a lot but I have no doubt anyone in the educational system would put themselves in danger's way to protect any child and I say THANK YOU.

p.s. you always have interesting posts Anyafaj!!

originally posted by: ccseagull
a reply to: Anyafaj

Thanks for the details Anyafaj, I obviously wasn't paying attention.

All parents worry about their kids playing anywhere outside of home and I just can't believe that we also have to worry while our kids are in school. But one can't reason with "crazy".

I know teachers get trashed a lot but I have no doubt anyone in the educational system would put themselves in danger's way to protect any child and I say THANK YOU.

p.s. you always have interesting posts Anyafaj!!

Anytime for the info, and thank you for the compliment. I appreciate that!

a reply to: WeRpeons

However, here's the big question I have, if the boy wouldn't have been vocal and alerted the teachers that this was a stranger, would he have been allowed to walk out of the school with this boy?

Parents, teach your children to yell as loud as possible if even approached by strangers.

Yell, scream and run as fast as they can away from the strangers and towards other people.

Children have the loudest piercing scream for a reason. Practice with them, make a game of it…

"Sweetie, come here… how loud can you scream?"

a reply to: Anyafaj

Great job around security....

a reply to: Anyafaj

I was an elementary school counselor for many years, and we taught the 'stranger danger' lessons (to reinforce what most parents already teach their kids.) I can see the kid's eyes, I mean imagine them, peering right into the soul of the teacher as he screamed for help. Yeah, I'd give chase. I'd sure as hell fight for the kid, after I'd told him what to do to be safe on my watch. Good for those teachers and principal! Now keep the doors locked and make visitors sign in and show their license!

Now for this... read these two sentences and tell me they didn't just accidentally give the name of the 'unidentified child' in the first sentence?!

Police have not yet established a motive, nor a connection between Brown and Joseph Gale, KPTV reported. There is not thought to be a connection between the suspect and the unidentified child.

***EDIT: I'm an idiot... Joseph Gale is the name of the school!!!

Henry: A clipboard and a confident wave will get you into any building in the world!

The Paper

This is the scary part. If you look and act like you belong somewhere and have business. A lot of people won't even question you, not until it's too late.

originally posted by: new_here
a reply to: Anyafaj

I was an elementary school counselor for many years, and we taught the 'stranger danger' lessons (to reinforce what most parents already teach their kids.) I can see the kid's eyes, I mean imagine them, peering right into the soul of the teacher as he screamed for help. Yeah, I'd give chase. I'd sure as hell fight for the kid, after I'd told him what to do to be safe on my watch. Good for those teachers and principal! Now keep the doors locked and make visitors sign in and show their license!

Now for this... read these two sentences and tell me they didn't just accidentally give the name of the 'unidentified child' in the first sentence?!

Police have not yet established a motive, nor a connection between Brown and Joseph Gale, KPTV reported. There is not thought to be a connection between the suspect and the unidentified child.

***EDIT: I'm an idiot... Joseph Gale is the name of the school!!!

Don't feel bad. They keep naming these schools after enough people there's bound to be confusion somewhere in there. And yeah, you bet your bottom I'd give chase too! I may be asthmatic, but I can run like the wind when needed, add some adrenalin, I'll catch the creep! (No guarantees he won't be bruise free when hand him over though, or singing soprano for the rest of his natural short life!)

originally posted by: ketsuko

Henry: A clipboard and a confident wave will get you into any building in the world!

The Paper

This is the scary part. If you look and act like you belong somewhere and have business. A lot of people won't even question you, not until it's too late.

Terrifying, isn't it? Remember when some ME men walked into a school and everyone about lost their heads over it?

Thread

originally posted by: Anyafaj

originally posted by: new_here
a reply to: Anyafaj

I was an elementary school counselor for many years, and we taught the 'stranger danger' lessons (to reinforce what most parents already teach their kids.) I can see the kid's eyes, I mean imagine them, peering right into the soul of the teacher as he screamed for help. Yeah, I'd give chase. I'd sure as hell fight for the kid, after I'd told him what to do to be safe on my watch. Good for those teachers and principal! Now keep the doors locked and make visitors sign in and show their license!

Now for this... read these two sentences and tell me they didn't just accidentally give the name of the 'unidentified child' in the first sentence?!

Police have not yet established a motive, nor a connection between Brown and Joseph Gale, KPTV reported. There is not thought to be a connection between the suspect and the unidentified child.

***EDIT: I'm an idiot... Joseph Gale is the name of the school!!!

Don't feel bad. They keep naming these schools after enough people there's bound to be confusion somewhere in there. And yeah, you bet your bottom I'd give chase too! I may be asthmatic, but I can run like the wind when needed, add some adrenalin, I'll catch the creep! (No guarantees he won't be bruise free when hand him over though, or singing soprano for the rest of his natural short life!)

HAHAHA, I think you should do stand-up comedy... great delivery.
(Oh, an I agree whole-heartedly.)