Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 14, 1992 TAG: 9203140288
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: SANDRA BROWN KELLY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
There is nothing that links the missing child from Wasena with the man who has been parking near schools in Raleigh Court and watching the young girls.
Nothing links them except that Walker is a parent, and she knows a parent's fear. And she remembers how she reacted to "men who hung around" her school when she was growing up.
Walker is office manager at Ghent Grace Brethren Church on Maiden Lane. If 5-year-old Scottie Wimmer rode the bus Thursday, as some witnesses say, he probably would have gotten off at the stop beside the church.
Walker didn't see Scottie. But he might have been the youngster a nearby resident saw playing under the trees in front of the apartments across the street.
The kindergarten student has been missing since Thursday afternoon.
Scottie Wimmer and his family have been put into the church's prayer line, Walker said.
"We're all sick about it," said Pat Bass, who manages Sunset Video on Grandin Road, a few blocks from Walker's church. "The whole community is involved.
"I've got two children. It could have been one of mine," said Bass, who is president of the Virginia Heights PTA.
Bass said she also identified with the Raleigh Court School and Woodrow Wilson Middle School students who have been frightened by the man who follows them.
About 100 parents shared stories about their children's fears during a meeting of the Greater Raleigh Court Civic League Thursday night. In case some child or parent hadn't heard the news, Bass posted a newspaper account of the meeting on the front door of Sunset Video.
At the meeting, parents said they were angry they weren't informed that schoolchildren were being followed by a man twice accused of trying to abduct young children.
The problem had existed for a couple of months before the parents read about it in a newspaper story earlier this week.
"That was the thing that created the most anger . . . not being told," said David Camper, president of the civic group.
"This kind of thing becomes emotional. When you're dealing with your children, the first thing you want to do is strike out," said Camper.
Camper said a 7 a.m. caller to his home Friday morning said, "Give me the name and I'll take care of it."
"Some citizens know too much," said Camper. "Some know who he is, where he lives. That can be serious. A lot of people don't want to sit and wait for something to happen. That's where you get the emotions taking over."
He said some parents are upset because schools hadn't notified them and some were comfortable that "everything that can be done has been done."
"Unfortunately, the timing of the boy being missing has confused the issue," Camper said.
by CNB