DELPHI, Ind. — Police in Delphi want parents to check their kids’ phones.
The Delphi Police Department Facebook page shared a scary situation that may sound eerily familiar but could happen to kids anywhere in central Indiana.
Delphi police say someone reported a man taking two young girls into the woods behind the cabin at Riley Park on Feb. 22. When officers arrived, they say they found a 24-year-old man smoking marijuana with two 15-year-old girls.
He is from another town, and the meetup was allegedly arranged on Snapchat. He told police he believed the girls were both 19.
"It's a breeding ground for predators,” said Sarah Burwell, who walks her dog at Riley Park. "It was to buy drugs or smoke marijuana. But who knows what the other person, the guy’s, intentions were. He could have been under false pretenses. Parents need to be in their kids' phone."
Riley Park is only about a mile from the Monon High Bridge Trail, where Libby German and Abby Williams were murdered in February 2017. The man charged with their murders is scheduled to go to trial in October.
"It could have been the exact same situation,” Burwell said. “Thankfully, it turned out the way it did. However, it could have turned out much worse. And it just brings it all back."
"Anything that comes up with juveniles, regardless of any current or past cases, we just want to put the warning out to parents and make sure that they're doing everything that they can to keep their kids safe," Delphi Police Chief Nathan LaMar said.
The Facebook post included a photo of the area where the girls were found with the man.
"We just wanted to put out a warning to parents to be involved with their kids’ social media, be involved with phones, go through messages, go through apps and find out find out what your kids are doing,” LaMar said. “If you're not doing that, be in touch with teachers. Be in touch with counselors and really find out who your kid is hanging around with."
The Carroll County prosecutor is reviewing the case for possible criminal charges.