Berkeley Heights Incident Prompts Safety Reminder For Springfield Schools

The Springfield school system has sent out safety reminders following the arrest of a man accused of attempting to lure a 9 year-old girl into his car in Berkeley Heights.

Summit Patch reports that Berkeley Heights police arrested Summit resident Elo R. Pintado after he allegedly tried to entice into his car a 9 year-old girl who was waiting outside of Thomas P. Hughes middle school in Berkeley Heights on Wednesday, Jan. 6. Pintado, who served five years in state prison for kidnapping, was arrested the following day.

While there have been no incidents reported in Springfield, Michael Antolino, Principal of Thelma L. Sandmeier Elementary School and Susie Hung, Principal of Edward V. Walton Early Childhood Center, sent out safety reminders to Springfield parents through the school's listserv asking residents to report suspicious activity and suspicious persons to law enforcement.

"It was a reminder to be vigilante, because we tend to forget," Springfield schools Director of Human Resources and Professional Development Ellyn Atherton said.