Leaders at a San Mateo school on Monday are vowing to adhere to stricter campus safety protocol following a scary attempted kidnap of a 9-year-old girl last week.
A new gate flanks Parkside Elementary School, and officials have said they will tighten up on how visitors, including parents, drop off and pick up their children, by making them sign in at the front desk, as is typical school policy.
The extra vigilance stems from what happened last Friday, when a suspect now identified as Bradley Mrozek, 25, of San Francisco is accused of getting onto school campus near the end of the school day and groping a 9-year-old girl in the school bathroom. He took her off campus, his hand clamped over her mouth, prosecutors say, though she was able to get away by kicking him and throwing rocks.
Prosecutors say they believe Mrozek also may be connected to two other incidents at Horrall Elementary and Bayside STEM Academy, where he is accused of verbally harassing students and giving vodka to other students, police said.
Police believe Mrozek assaulted the girl at Parkside shortly before 2:45 p.m. on Friday and transported her a short distance away from the school in an attempt to isolate her, Norris said.
Mrozek faces felony kidnapping and child molestation charges. He has not yet entered a plea.
