Girl Stalked During Walk To School, Mom Says

The 15-year-old girl was headed to school, walking near Route 120 and Slusser Street when a brown SUV stopped and a young male driver tried to flag her down and offer her a ride.

The girl ignored him, according to her mom Laura DeSpain, and the driver then turned off of Route 120 onto south Slusser, turned around in the lawn mower shop parking lot at Slusser and Route 120, and then turned back onto Route 120 to follow the girl.

"He caught up to her at the designated safe Route 120/Lake Street stoplight when a red light caused my daughter to pause on the southeast corner of Route 120 and Lake Street before crossing," stated DeSpain. "He called to her from across the street again offering her a ride. My daughter ignored him and, when the light turned green allowing her to cross from the southeast side of Route 120 and Lake to the northeast side, the driver himself turned north on Lake Street, continuing to follow my daughter. He turned into the parking lot at the Westlake Christian Academy on the northeast corner of Route 120 and Lake, positioned his car in the driveway blocking my daughter's path, and again offered her a ride."

She said her daughter then took out her cell phone to call for help, and the man fled. The were called a little later. 

"We searched the area but came up with nothing," said Interim Grayslake Police Chief Jack McKeever. He said they found no car or driver matching the description of a brown SUV driven by a white male with a close-cropped beard. 

"I also contacted other police departments in adjacent communities and they had no similar reports," McKeever said. 

Still, DeSpain said she is concerned for the safety of all the children in the neighborhood. 

"I have started a petition for bus service in my neighborhood," she said. For the petition, click here.

She said there is no bus service for students who attend  in the corridor south of Route 120 and north of Wicks, bordered by Slusser and Lake Streets. It is considered safe for walking because the kids do not have to cross any railroad tracks and they can cross Route 120 at a stoplight.

DeSpain said that she no longer feels safe having her daughter walk to school. She asked, "Do we need to wait for a truly tragic incident to occur before we use simple common sense in considering the safety of our students?"