District Issues "Stranger Danger" Alert

A Ward Melville student walking home from his bus stop in South Setauket was approached by a stranger offering a ride home on Tuesday, leading the Three Village school district to issue a "stranger danger" alert on its website Wednesday.

The alert described the stranger as a Caucasian male in his 20s with brown hair and a small to medium build who was driving a dark green, four-door Dodge Neon with dark-tinted windows. The license plate number was not noted.

According to the school district report, the student, an 11th grader, got off the late bus on Hattie Lane in South Setauket between 4:15 and 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, and was approached soon after by the stranger offering a ride home. The student said no, but the stranger returned about five minutes later, this time near the corner of Strathmore Village Drive and Marblestone Lane, and asked again. The student again said no, and ran home.

Interim superintendent Neil Lederer said Thursday the family filed a police report and notified the district, which put up the alert on its website and asked building principals to communicate with teachers, who would then address the matter in their classrooms.

"Hopefully the parents reinforce that at home as well," Lederer said. "I think we've got all bases covered."

Lederer said he was recently made aware that a similar incident happened in Three Village two years ago, in which the stranger was actually identified.