Parents throughout the district were alarmed by a confusing and alarming alert sent out by New Rochelle Schools Superintendent Richard Organisciak. The message referenced the report of an attempted abduction of a child, a police investigation and a warning for parents to be “on the lookout for strangers”.
New Rochelle Police Detective Captain Joseph Schaller said the report of an induction of a 6-year old girl was investigated by officers from the Criminal Investigation Unit and determined to be unfounded.
Schaller said the mother of the 6-year old and a 12-year old, made a report to police based on information from the two sisters. Investigators concluded that the 6-year old had wandered into the street as the two girls were walking and a neighbor grabbed the girl to pull her out of the street.
How or why this non-event warranted robo-calls and email alerts to parents throughout the district is a mystery. By contrast, three students actually held a gun to the head of a 6th grader on a school bus and then brought the gun into Isaac E. Young Middle School and the parents of the victim and other children on the bus were never contacted by the school district let along a district-wide alert sent.
The message sent to parents reads as follows:
Good afternoon. This is Superintendent of Schools, Richard Organisicak with an important message to all parents.
Earlier today, a report was made that one of our elementary school students was the target of an attempted abduction on the way to school. After further investigation by the New Rochelle Police Department, we have been able to clarify that the incident did not occur as originally reported and that the student is safe and unharmed.
This situation highlights the need for both parents and students to remain cautious and on the lookout for strangers as they travel to and from school and elsewhere.
Thank you.