The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

POLICE have launched an island-wide manhunt for two men who tried to kidnap an 11-year-old girl on Thursday.

The incident happened shortly after 3pm when the girl was in the Balfour Avenue and St Charles Vincent Street area.

Police reported that while the primary school student was there, two male occupants of a white van attempted to abduct her.

However, the girl escaped without injury and now police are actively searching for the men responsible.

“Police are aggressively investigating and appealing to members of the public who may have been in the area during the time of the incident to contact police at 911/919, the criminal investigation department at 502-9991/2 or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS(8477,” police said.

This latest incident comes after a girl on Grand Bahama was sexually assaulted on Tuesday by an intruder who unlawfully entered a residence.

According to police reports, an unknown man burglarised a home in a Freeport neighbourhood and assaulted a minor resident there.

A male resident of the home was alerted by an unusual noise and disturbance and approached and fought the assailant who eventually escaped.

Police did not release the victim's age, but said she is a juvenile.

At last report, two men were said to be in custody in connection with the incident.

In a statement sent to The Tribune on Friday, Rise Bahamas expressed outrage over the incidents, saying the country has a “child protection crisis.”

The advocacy group also renewed calls for more to be done to protect children, citing the need for stiffer penalties for both predators and “neglectful” parents.

“In 2011, Marco Archer was abducted on his way to the store and murdered,” the advocacy group said.

“Just days ago, police alleged that a man broke into a Grand Bahama home and sexually assaulted a nine-year-old girl. Two young men were questioned in relation to this matter.

“In recent times, there was a woman abducting children off the streets. Although the children were not reported to be physically harmed, that experience traumatised them, their families and people that are parents across the nation.”

Rise Bahamas said in view of these incidents, one would think the country would become more vigilant when it comes to protecting children, but “seemingly we are not.”

“Every day, we witness small children walking to and from school. We see children unattended on the road day after day,” Rise Bahamas continued.

“Along with the Coalition of Child Advocates (CoCA) we have been pleading for stiffer penalties for predators and we won’t stop, but now it seems that stiffer penalties need to be in place for parents and guardians that are neglectful.”

Rise Bahamas acknowledged that while most family structures may not be ideal, it doesn’t mean that parents ought to leave their children to fend for themselves.

“If the family is not available, groups or parents from the school, possibly through PTA can implement a ‘buddy system’ and take turns walking with the children in the community,” Rise Bahamas continued.

“That’s a simple suggestion but we cannot allow our children to be forced to fend for themselves.

“Predators are watching. Every concerned adult should be as well.”

Last year, police investigated 144 missing persons cases; 67 of them have been solved, while 77 cases remain under investigation.