The death of innocence

An abduction story from Paradise, Texas, blew up my social media accounts earlier this month. Paradise is a small-town northwest of Dallas. Seven-year-old Athena Strand was the victim. Her disappearance occurred while she was visiting her father and stepmother. Her body would be found within ten miles of her father's home. A FedEx driver named Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, had abducted and murdered her. According to him, he struck Athena and then panicked.

He strangled Athena in his van after attempting to break her neck. Among the heartbreaking parts of the story is what was delivered to Athena's house. Horner had delivered a package of “You Can Be Anything” Barbies. It was Athena's Christmas gift. It would be a gift she would never have the chance to enjoy.

I worked for Hamilton County Job and Family Services for over a decade. My co-workers and I became familiar with many acts of cruelty committed against defenseless children on a daily basis. Even today, I encourage parents to keep an eye on their children and to be leery of anyone who seems unusually interested in them. I have discussed stranger danger with my 8-year-old grandson many times. My warnings about staying away from strangers probably sound like a broken record to him.

For nearly twenty years, I have lived in the same neighborhood and consider it safe. Last Friday evening, I received a disturbing knock on my door. Through the peephole, I saw a Clermont County deputy standing at my door. According to him, a man in an older black pickup truck approached and attempted to abduct my neighbor's daughter.

He asked if I saw anything or if I had a camera on my home that might have recorded the driver. Unfortunately, I was unable to provide any useful information to the deputy. My grandson and I discussed the incident. He asked me a question many children across the country probably ask their parents.

“Grandpa, isn’t this neighborhood safe?”

I told him I have always considered it safe. However, you must always be aware of your surroundings and what's happening around you. Upon hearing about my neighbor's daughter, my heart sank. I'm thankful her parents warned her about strangers. Fortunately, she was able to escape without being abducted. My grandson spent the next evening looking out the front window after hearing about the attempted abduction. I asked him what he was doing. He told me he was watching for the bad man in the black pickup truck. He wanted the man to return so we could call the police.

I spoke with him again about stranger danger before he returned home on Sunday. However, this time was different. He focused on every word I said as I warned him not to accept candy from strangers or ask for assistance in finding a lost pet. I warned him many times that the world is full of evil people and contains many hidden dangers. If you have young children, please sit them down and discuss stranger danger with them. While many people are uncomfortable discussing this with their children, it may one day save your child's life.

Marc is a longtime resident of Clermont County and an avid reader. Contact him through his website at www.themarcabe.com or through Facebook: www.Facebook.com/themarcabe or his Twitter account @themarcabe. Marc also has a podcast called Catch my Killer where he interviews family members seeking justice for their murdered loved ones. You can listen at www.catchmykiller.com.