Last night, a troubling Facebook post made the rounds online, claiming that a stranger had attempted (unsuccessfully) to pick up a little girl from a childcare centre at Havelock Road. The incident, made public on the Tiong Bahru Village Facebook page as a “neighborhood watch announcement”, was about an elderly man who reportedly entered the school and requested for the kid by name.
Apparently, the child had a unique name, so she was asked to come out. But when she did not recognize the man, she started to cry. The parents later confirmed that the individual did not look familiar to them, and a police report has since been lodged.
According to Channel NewsAsia, the place in question was a Maple Bear centre near Tiong Bahru, and investigations are ongoing.
The post also called for the man to come forward if the incident was a misunderstanding. Otherwise, it warned families with young children to stay alert, sparking off a discussion about the importance of safety at childcare centres.
The Facebook page later followed up with details of the man’s appearance, while netizens poured in with their two cents about how a stranger could’ve known the girl’s name. Speculations included sign-in sheets outside the centre, name tags on the kids, parents oversharing on social media, and shoe racks showcasing names. However, at the end of the day, the police advised the public not to circulate unverified information to avoid public alarm.
But despite the heavy topic, one man kept things lighthearted with his equally-viral, possibly troll comment.
