Gilroy
– Some parents are re-routing the way their children walk to
school.
Others are taking a more critical look at something that was
once seemingly innocent
– a Halloween haunted house – but now has them wondering why a
convicted child molester is allowed to play host to dozens of
children.
By Lori Stuenkel
Gilroy – Some parents are re-routing the way their children walk to school.
Others are taking a more critical look at something that was once seemingly innocent – a Halloween haunted house – but now has them wondering why a convicted child molester is allowed to play host to dozens of children.
A month after the state attorney general launched a Megan’s Law Web site that gives personal details about California sex offenders, Gilroy parents are reacting by educating themselves on offenders in their neighborhood and mobilizing other parents to keep an eye on local schools.
“I think it’s good information for parents to have,” said one woman, who asked not to be identified, of the Web site.
She has two elementary-age children and attended a community meeting last week to learn more about how to protect them. She recently found out a convicted child molester in her neighborhood builds a haunted house in his front yard each Halloween.
About 60 other parents met in the Luigi Aprea Elementary School multi-purpose room to hear presentations on Megan’s Law public information from Gilroy police and District Attorney’s representatives.
During the question-and-answer session at the end of the two-hour meeting, it became clear most of the parents present had visited the Web site and were well aware of sex offenders living near their homes and their children’s’ schools. The site provides names, pictures, physical descriptions and addresses for 85 sex offenders in Gilroy – two are “high risk” – although there are 114 registered here, Gilroy Detective Michael Beebe told parents. He did not know why 29, including one woman, were exempt from the site, but said some convicted of lesser offenses such as indecent exposure may have petitioned to be removed.
Parents were trying to understand the line between empowerment and action against sex offenders they now know are nearby – something expressly prohibited by Megan’s Law.
Some were contacting other parents at their respective schools to form a neighborhood watch-like group. One parent at the meeting suggested printing fliers to direct parents to the Web site. Detective Mitch Madruga encouraged the idea, as long as no names were used. Megan’s Law does not allow the public to use the information to single offenders out, or harass them or their families.
Although the sex offenders have served their time, parents were still uneasy because of the few restrictions against them.
A woman at the meeting, who has one child attending a Gilroy elementary school, was miffed that a convicted sex offender whose children attend her child’s school can be on campus or “show up in the middle of a field trip,” she said.
“I’m glad that I know about it, because you have more eyes looking at that one person,” said the woman, who asked not to be identified. But, she added, “They’ve been there all the time and haven’t disturbed anybody.”
Sex offenders have been required to register with local law enforcement annually since 1947, Beebe said. That information became available to the public with the 1996 passage of Megan’s Law. Named for Megan Kanka, a 7-year-old New Jersey girl murdered in 1994 by a convicted sex offender who lived across the street from her, unbeknownst to her parents, the law requires that police notify communities of potentially dangerous sex offenders living nearby. All 50 states have similar laws that require public access to sex-offender data, and many provide the information online.
The California Web site, www.meganslaw.ca.gov, is now putting this information at the fingertips of every state resident.
“After (a sex offender is convicted) and their sentence is served or they parole out or receive probation, notices go to local law enforcement that someone is released in the area,” Beebe said.
Offenders are required to register within five working days of their birthday, every year, for the rest of their life. They also must re-register within five days each time they move. There is no notification system for neighbors when a sex offender moves nearby, Beebe said.
With the renewed attention on Megan’s Law and the Web site, DA Investigator Sharron Pearson offered parents some tips on protecting their children from sexual predators, particularly on-line.
“One in three girls, one in four women, one in six boys and one in 11 men will be victims of sexual assault at least once in their lifetimes,” said Pearson, a member of the Santa Clara County Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Task Force. SAFE monitors serious sex offenders and educates the community.
Pearson and Beebe recommend parents educate their children to the risks not only of strangers, but of inappropriate conduct from adults they know, including baby-sitters, neighbors or friends of the family. Most abusers are known to their victims, they said.
On the Internet, Pearson urged parents to monitor their child’s activities and randomly check e-mail if they suspect anything. At-risk behavior by children includes becoming withdrawn and keeping on-line activity secret, she said.
Aside from being aware of sex offenders nearby and their own children’s activities, Pearson said parents may contact Gilroy police or her office if they see suspicious activity or fear their child is being victimized on-line. And, she noted, she would be interested in knowing about the haunted house.
Anyone with concerns about an individual or suspicious behavior may contact the Gilroy Police Department at 846-0350 or the SAFE Task Force at 808-4300.
For more child sexual abuse prevention tips or information on SAFE,
or to organize a Megan’s Law meeting in your community, contact
Rachel Munoz at 846-0524.
