Abduction false alarm
CLAIMS of an attempted abduction at St Mary's lower campus earlier this week have been dismissed by school officials as simply rumours.
Talk of an "abduction attempt" began swirling on Monday afternoon, when a student told his father he saw an "older man" try to take a young male student from the school grounds.
The student said the attempt was faltered by a female student, who "pulled the boy away", and other students who alerted teachers.
That afternoon, St Mary's teachers warned the students not to speak with people they do not know outside the fence.
Catholic Education director John Borserio said the rumours were false.
"On Monday during the school lunch break there was an interaction between a student and a youth passing by the school," he said.
"The principal has spoken with the teacher on duty, children and the parents of the children involved.
"This interaction was not an attempted abduction."
It seems other schools have taken the rumours seriously and informed their students of the allegations.
At least one state primary school in Warwick warned students against stranger danger this week, telling them of the alleged incident at St Mary's.
Students from the school were told an older man tried to take a child from another school.
The Daily News contacted the Department of Education and Training yesterday to ask how the state school was informed of the allegations but no response was received by the time of print.
