Spring Branch ISD asking public to identify suspicious car that attempted to lure children inside
HOUSTON - Spring Branch ISD police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspicious car that followed several kids this week.
It happened near the 13000 block of Myrtlea Drive.
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SBISD has released a new surveillance image of an early to mid 90s white Corvette with hand-written paper plates and a square tip exhaust.
On Tuesday, police say an African American man driving the car approached several children at the Wilchester Elementary Campus playground and asked them to get inside.
"One of the girls described that he had a bag of candy, kind of motioned towards them to come to the car. They obviously knew better, they’d been taught not to do something like that," said SBISD Chief Larry Baimbridge.
Fortunately, the kids didn’t listen to the stranger.
Investigators say that’s when the man began following the kids for several blocks until police say something scared him off.
"He’s a person of interest. We don't have any charges of anything like that. He’s described as a Black male, bald, possibly in his late 30s-40s. Someone also mentioned he may have had a construction type vest, a reflective type of vest," said Baimbridge.
The district says an SBISD bus driver took note of the safety alert and remembered a similar car making a U-turn in front of their bus Tuesday near the school. Police have confirmed with students and witnesses that this was the same car that followed them on Tuesday.
Parents were notified of the scare on Wednesday.
"It was pretty scary because you wouldn’t think this would happen in an area that's so crowded. There are vehicles all the time near school yet it happened, and it happened to enough kids at the same time that they reported it," said Diego Bustillos, an SBISD Parent.
"It’s nerve-wracking for somebody to follow your kids around. You think this is a good area because all these kids' bike in and around and everything. It’s just scary," said Gracie Segundo who has four kids who attend SBISD.
Police say this incident should serve as a reminder for parents to talk to their kids about stranger danger.
"Just make sure your kids are aware of the whole stranger danger and knowing not to even engage these individuals, because what they’ll do is lure them close enough to them. If they can grab them, they will. We don't know what this person's motives were. The fact that he would attempt to lure kids towards his car tells me he’s up to no good. Luckily, we didn't find out what he was up to," said Chief Baimbridge.
SBISD asks that anyone with information about the suspicious white Corvette or the individual driving that car to please contact SBISD Police at (713) 984-9805.