ROSWELL, Ga. — When a Roswell mom saw an unfamiliar man approaching her 11-year-old daughter as she got off the school bus, she felt suspicious.
According to Roswell Police, that mom checked the sex offender registry and identified the man, ultimately leading to his arrest this week.
The department said in a Facebook post Friday that they had arrested the 71-year-old man and charged him with enticing a child for indecent purposes. He had previously been convicted in Florida in 2011 for lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim 12-15 years old.
“The quick thinking and decisive action of this parent is a model for all of us, and demonstrates well the necessary partnership between our community and the police in protecting our most vulnerable population: our children," Roswell Police Chief James Conroy said in a statement.
Roswell Police detailed how last month, the mom reported seeing the man "approach her 11-year-old daughter from his car while she got off the school bus." The daughter said he'd offered to give her a ride back home in the neighborhood where they both live.
"After witnessing this encounter, the victim's mother independently researched the sex offender registry, located (the man), and immediately notified the Roswell Police Department."
The department said further investigation revealed "past contacts" between the man and the victim, and he was taken into custody on Tuesday.
The department is asking anyone else with information about potential other cases in the Roswell area to contact Detective C. Dickerson at cdickerson@roswellgov.com or 770-640-4453. Additionally, people can contact Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-TIPS (8477).