MOUNTLAKE TERRACE, Wash. — Police are investigating an attempted child-luring incident in Mountlake Terrace.
An 11-year-old girl said she was contacted on Snapchat by a person who pretended to be a 14-year-old boy, according to police.
The girl agreed to meet the “boy” at Mountlake Terrace Elementary. She brought a 12-year-old friend with her.
The "boy" who showed up to the meeting was actually an older man, who drove a light blue sedan, according to police.
Mountlake Terrace police released the following surveillance image of the suspect:
The man tried to lure the girls into his vehicle, police said.
The school said the girls ran away, hid, and called the police. The man temporarily left the scene, police said, but then returned and circled the parking lot before leaving.
The suspect has not been identified. He is described as a white man in his 20s with facial hair.
"As a school community we take student safety very seriously. We annually teach digital citizenship (which covers cyber-safety and cyber-bullying) to all our students. This year we are also inviting a police officer who works in the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force department to come speak to our older students," the school said in a message to families.
Police ask that if you see a light blue sedan in the area, call 911.
If you have any other information that could help, contact Sgt. Scott King at (425) 670-8260.
Snapchat advice for parents
Parents should understand how to monitor Snapchat on their child's phone.
When you open Snapchat, swipe down and you'll see a map. The user can select who sees your phone's location.
If you're not on "ghost mode," that means anyone can see where you are.
Look at the settings on Snapchat and manage who can contact your child, you can view their story, and who can see their location.
Make sure only friends can see the posts, and that your child isn't adding strangers as friends.
