It took an hour for school to call police after playground kidnapping attempt
DENVER (KDVR) — It took about an hour for school personnel to contact police after a kidnapping attempt at Black Forest Hills Elementary, according to an investigative report released Friday, which lays out the “clear missteps” in the response that ultimately led to the principal’s firing.
The school’s principal — who has since been replaced — refused to call the police on more than one occasion, and the school was not placed under heightened security after the April 19 incident, according to the report from Cherry Creek Schools. Other students were taken outside for recess while the suspect remained at large and “still presumably in the neighborhood.”
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Even after district security arrived about 25 minutes after the incident and told school personnel to keep students indoors, teachers were not instructed to do so until about a full hour after the intrusion.
The report lays out a timeline of the response.
Police did not arrive at school until nearly 2 hours later
The man entered campus at about 1:01 p.m. and was seen leaving about a minute later after running at a group of fifth graders.
Students ran from the man, yelling “stranger danger,” according to the report. A paraprofessional who heard the students radioed administrators, while another two paraprofessionals walked toward the man and watched him leave.
The principal arrived on the field at 1:08 p.m. and radioed her office manager to contact district security.
“At that time, neither the principal nor any BFH staff contacted police, nor did any employee place the school on a Secure Perimeter,” the report reads.
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The office manager told security dispatch at about 1:09 p.m. that “a woman came onto campus and attempted to grab a student” and then asked the principal whether she should call the police.
“The principal responded that they would wait until District security arrived,” the report reads — and district security would not arrive for another 15 minutes.
District security coordinators got a call from dispatch at 1:12 p.m. and then tried to call the principal twice over the next two minutes without an answer. At 1:16 p.m., the principal had the school mental health team and all fifth graders report to the library.
The office manager once again asked the principal whether to call the police, and she said no.
When security coordinators arrived at 1:25 p.m., the report said they told the office manager that recess should be held indoors for the rest of the day. But two minutes later, third-grade teachers took their students out for recess, where they stayed until 1:35 p.m. The office manager did not notify staff to keep their students indoors until 1:59 p.m.
While a security coordinator started to canvass the neighborhood at 1:36 p.m., it was not until 2:03 p.m. that a district security leader contacted the Aurora Police Department to request additional patrol cars during dismissal — yet the department said none were available.
Parents were notified of the incident at 2:16 p.m.
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A school resource officer would not arrive until about 2:44 p.m. Students were dismissed a minute later, with some riding their normal bus route and a few walking or riding their bikes home, all while the suspect remained at large.
It was not until 3:30 p.m. that district security learned a person who matched the suspect’s description was located at a Walgreens store, the report says. At about 4 p.m., district security and the school resource office grabbed a piece of evidence that the suspect left on the playground.
Cherry Creek Schools recommends changes
Cherry Creek Schools recommended that school paraprofessionals get additional training on active supervision and what to do when non-employees enter campus. The district also recommended district-wide training for crisis scenarios to ensure all processes are followed, including that any staff member can elevate the school’s security status when needed.
On the delays in communicating with police, the district “recommended that appropriate disciplinary action be taken to address this misstep, and further training for all involved,” according to the report.
Parents are urging the school community to attend Monday’s school board meeting at Thunder Ridge. Community members are invited to speak during the time specified for public comment.
Speakers must complete the public comment form and submit it electronically before noon on the day of the meeting.
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