BRAWLEY — While each school follows a safety procedure, the Brawley Elementary School District remains vigilant about protecting students following a pair of attempted kidnappings that occurred almost within a week of each other, Superintendent Ron Garcia has said.
Crossing guards, principals, vice principals and other staff members are keeping an eye out for would-be predators in the wake of an attempted kidnapping that occurred Wednesday, Garcia said.
“I feel very confident that they are out there safeguarding the children,” he said.
Brawley police said a man tried grabbing a 9-year-old girl as she and her friend were walking home from school in the 1000 block of I Street. The girls managed to run away and head home.
A suspect, identified by Brawley Police as 46-year-old Emilio Mario Rivas, was arrested on suspicion of attempted kidnapping. Rivas was positively identified after police located him in the area of Brawley and I Street, police report.
Rivas is suspected of fleeing the crime scene in a taxi cab but police contacted the local cab companies in Brawley and were able to find Rivas, police said.
Police said there is nothing to indicate that the incident involving Rivas was related to a previous attempted kidnapping that occurred Feb. 10. A suspect in that incident, identified as 40-year-old Armando Meraz, was arrested on suspicion of trying to grab a 13-year-old boy who was walking to Del Rio Community School. Meraz was also arrested on suspicion of attempted sexual assault.
Police Cmdr. Hugo Rodriguez was unavailable for comment Friday but a press statement issued by Brawley Police Department on Rivas’ arrest, urged residents to “always remain vigilant (about) their surroundings” and report all suspicious activity to the police.
Anyone with information on any unreported incidents can call Brawley investigators at 760-351-7777.
Staff Writer Silvio J. Panta can be reached at 760-337-3442 or at spanta@ivpressonline.com
Crossing guards, principals, vice principals and other staff members are keeping an eye out for would-be predators in the wake of an attempted kidnapping that occurred Wednesday, Garcia said.
“I feel very confident that they are out there safeguarding the children,” he said.
Brawley police said a man tried grabbing a 9-year-old girl as she and her friend were walking home from school in the 1000 block of I Street. The girls managed to run away and head home.
A suspect, identified by Brawley Police as 46-year-old Emilio Mario Rivas, was arrested on suspicion of attempted kidnapping. Rivas was positively identified after police located him in the area of Brawley and I Street, police report.
Rivas is suspected of fleeing the crime scene in a taxi cab but police contacted the local cab companies in Brawley and were able to find Rivas, police said.
Police said there is nothing to indicate that the incident involving Rivas was related to a previous attempted kidnapping that occurred Feb. 10. A suspect in that incident, identified as 40-year-old Armando Meraz, was arrested on suspicion of trying to grab a 13-year-old boy who was walking to Del Rio Community School. Meraz was also arrested on suspicion of attempted sexual assault.
Police Cmdr. Hugo Rodriguez was unavailable for comment Friday but a press statement issued by Brawley Police Department on Rivas’ arrest, urged residents to “always remain vigilant (about) their surroundings” and report all suspicious activity to the police.
Anyone with information on any unreported incidents can call Brawley investigators at 760-351-7777.
Staff Writer Silvio J. Panta can be reached at 760-337-3442 or at spanta@ivpressonline.com
