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Abduction education program takes off

A deputy at the Pinellas Sheriff's Office develops a highly popular program for adults on child safety.

By JANE MADDEN WELCH
Published August 31, 2005

Denise Nestor was confident her infant son was safe in the shopping cart as she looked at greeting cards in Target. She gently pushed the cart back and forth, her son comfortably resting in his car seat, as she scanned the thank-you cards.

Then she glanced at the cart.

Her son was gone.

Instead of a tragedy, it turned out to be a lesson. Nestor's husband was standing 10 feet away, cradling their son. Four minutes had passed before his wife realized their son was gone. He wanted to show her how quickly a child can be put in danger.

"That taught me a valuable lesson," Nestor said. "And I certainly should know better." She's a deputy with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, as is her husband. Now, five years later, it's Nestor's job to warn other parents about child safety.

In the crime prevention unit, Nestor created a new education program called Child Abduction Prevention for Adults.

Nineteen months ago, when 11-year-old Carlie Brucia of Sarasota was abducted and later found murdered in a case that got worldwide attention, the Pinellas Sheriff's Office received a lot of requests to educate parents about child safety. But the agency had little to offer.

"It was a challenge," said Capt. Teresa Dioquino, who was then a lieutenant and Nestor's supervisor. "It was something we wanted to take the lead on ... in public education."

Dioquino gave Nestor the go-ahead to put a program together.

"I started researching, studying and reading," Nestor said. Over the next year, what began as a 15-minute presentation turned into an hour-and-a-half program to help parents teach children about personal safety.

"Deputy Nestor took the initiative to do the research," Dioquino said. "She put her heart into it."

Some of the statistics Nestor found in her research are startling: one in three girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused before reaching adulthood. The average molester of girls will have approximately 50 victims before being caught and convicted. For molesters of boys, who are often even more reluctant to talk about abuse, the average is 150 victims.

There are 1,200 registered sex offenders in Pinellas County; 97 percent are men.

"For every one we know about, there are 12 we don't," Nestor said. Previous safety awareness was directed primarily at children. Nestor's program is strictly for adults.

"The more I learned, the more I knew the word needed to get out," she said. "I'm very blunt about letting them know this is real stuff and happens right here in our county."

Nestor has taken her program to PTAs, neighborhood watch groups, child care workers and church groups. Last spring, Nestor was contacted by Sharon Lough, supervisor of Pinellas crossing guards. Teaching the program was so successful, Lough is scheduling two more sessions this fall.

"We received very positive feedback from our crossing guards," Lough said. "It made a tremendous impression on them, for both their jobs and personal life."

As part of her presentation, Nestor encourages parents to take advantage of teachable moments, opportunities to discuss behavior that's unsafe as you go about your daily routine. Talk to children about "what if" situations and suggest what they should do, Nestor advises.

For example, if you see a student sitting outside of school all by himself, ask your child, "What should that boy do?" Suggest that maybe he go back inside school or wait with other students.

"You want to talk on their level and not scare them to death," Nestor said. "Parents need to teach their children how to protect themselves and be alert. I've seen women who keep a better eye on their purses than they do their kids."

Nestor, 40, has 17 years in law enforcement, the last three working in the crime prevention unit. She met her husband, Tom Nestor, 42, on the job. He has 20 years with the Sheriff's Office and works in the sexual predator offender tracking unit. She has lived in Pinellas County since age 12 and began her career working for the city of Madeira Beach.

"I got into law enforcement because I hate bullies," Nestor said, "Especially anyone who singles out our vulnerable and precious children."

Teach your children to:

-- Stay with a group.

-- Report strange behavior to at least two adults.

-- Have a plan in case of separation in public.

-- Keep looking for ways to escape if abducted.

-- Don't go anywhere with strangers.

-- Remember: Big people do not ask little people for help.

Source: Deputy Denise Nestor, Pinellas County Sheriff's Office

[Last modified August 31, 2005, 08:03:03]