As the community of Westminster and the entire state honor Jessica Ridgeway's life at a memorial service tonight, her horrifying abduction and murder story is on the minds of many parents across the country.
Grand Junction Police are encouraging parents to talk with their children about what happened to Jessica and teaching them what to do if they're ever caught in a similar situation of danger.
"It's a fine line between scaring your children and teaching them how to be safe and how to protect themselves," said Kate Porras, public information officer for Grand Junction Police Department. "Parents really need to walk that fine line."
Porras said it's important to teach kids to always fight back if someone attacks them, whether that means biting, kicking, screaming or punching.
Porras suggested teaching kids:
- where to find safety
- who is safe to approach for help
- never to respond to a stranger asking for help with something
- fight back if attacked
- draw attention by yelling and screaming
"We aren't necessarily safe here," Porras said. "Not that this is a dangerous community, not that we're at more risk than any other community, but bad people can come here, too."
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