LETHBRIDGE – “As the mother of a two and a half-year-old, I’m frightened,” said Lethbridge resident Jeannie Lane.
A convicted sex offender has been eluding authorities and has been recently spotted in a west Lethbridge neighborhood.
“It’s really scary to think about someone out there and may be potentially trying to take our children,” said parent Christie Sommerfeldt.
You can almost feel the fear and panic among parents in Lethbridge, counting down the hours until they can pick up their children from school, and ensure they’re home safe.
The news that Michael Sean Stanley is at large in Lethbridge has spread like wildfire.
Reports that Stanley has been frequenting a small commercial area has businesses posting public warnings about the felon, and also leaving those who live down the street disturbed.
“It’s awful,” said Lane. “We go for walks, we’re visible in the neighborhood.”
Police in Saskatchewan were on Stanley’s trail last week. Several schools went into lock down after reports the felon was in their neighborhood and local schools are prepared to take the same precautions.
“If circumstances were to change, or we had different information from the police that would give us cause to make that the case, we would make the call immediately,” said Cheryl Gilmore, Superintendent of Lethbridge School District No. 51.
The University of Lethbridge says it’s also on high alert. Its security team is being extra vigilant on campus, especially around the dorms.
But both schools say all students, of any age, should be aware of the warnings.
Comments