Police: Stranger at Edgewater Park Not a Threat

EDGEWATER, MD — A warning to Edgewater area parents about an elderly man talking to a child at the town’s Little League field was a misunderstanding, officials said Friday.

The Anne Arundel County Police Department received a report about the suspicious person Wednesday night. Officers were told an elderly man approached several children playing in a park on Wallace Manor Road close to the field where a Little League baseball game was being played. The man allegedly approached several of the children and briefly spoke to them.

A parent noticed a child following the man toward the parking lot area and retrieved the child, police say.

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On Thursday night, detectives located the elderly man involved in the incident. He was seen near the park sitting on a bench waiting for his adult son. The subject speaks no English and spoke to detectives through an interpreter.

The man told police that on Tuesday, he was at the playground waiting for his adult son to get off work nearby so they could return home together. He explained that the child spoke to him, but he did not know what the boy said since the man doesn’t understand English.

After speaking with the man, the detectives determined he had no criminal intentions and they believe the incident was a misunderstanding.

The incident prompted police to share safety tips for kids and parents:

What Parents Can Do:
• Know where your children are at all times: Make it a rule that your children must ask permission or check in with you before going anywhere.
• Point out safe places. Show your children safe places to play, safe roads and paths to take, and safe places to go if there’s trouble.
• Teach children to trust their instincts. Explain that if they ever feel scared or uncomfortable, they should get away as fast as they can and tell an adult.
• Teach your children to be assertive. Make sure they know that it’s OK to say no to an adult and to run.• Encourage your children to play with others. There’s safety in numbers.

What Children Can Do:
• Don’t talk to strangers.
• Don’t take anything from strangers.
• Don’t go anywhere with someone you don’t know.
• Use the buddy system, avoid walking anywhere alone.
• When seeking help, always go to a trusted adult – teacher, coach, police officer, other parent, or older siblings.
• If a stranger grabs you, do everything you can to stop him or her from pulling you away.
Drop to the ground, kick, hit, bite, and scream. Do whatever it takes to attract the attention of others who can help you. If someone is dragging you away, scream, “this is not my dad,” or “this is not my mom.”
• Report any suspicious activity to your local school and police department.