UPDATED: School District Warns Parents of Suspicious Character

Updated 2:30 p.m. February 15, 2011: Over the weekend, South Orange Police received a report of a man driving a cab who asked two 13-year-old girls if they needed a ride.

South Orange Police Capt. Kyle Kroll of the Detective Bureau said that the incident could not be described as "luring" at this point. He said that the police were investigating the actions of a suspicious person but that no overt act had been made to lure the girls into the car.

Kroll said that the two 13-year-olds were walking dogs on Academy Street in South Orange when a man in a taxi cab asked if they needed a ride. The girls were frightened and ran off.

Patch has received information from the parent of one of the girls (who asked not to be identified), that the girls who were approached were 10 years old and were wearing pajamas. The incident took place at 8:45 a.m.

A message from Superintendent of School Brian Osborne was forwarded to parents of students living in the area Monday evening. Patch received this information courtesy of several Tuscan parents who received the message via the Tuscan School PTA. In the message, Osborne asked that parents, "Please take this opportunity to review safety rules with your children as they walk to or from school. Whenever possible students should walk in groups and be reminded not to talk to strangers."

On Tuesday morning after 11 a.m., the School District issued a second email bulletin stating:

Yesterday, a message was sent regarding an incident that allegedly occurred over the weekend. The South Orange Police Department has determined that the incident was a cab driver attempting to solicit potential passengers, and not, as reported yesterday, an attempt to lure children into a vehicle."

This statement seems to run counter to the SO Police Department information that an investigation of the incident is ongoing. Patch has a query in to the SO Police Department to verify this fact as well as the ages of the girls involved.

Citizens with any information regarding the incident can contact the South Orange Police Detective Bureau at 973-763-3000 ex. 7798.