Teen walking from school saw 11-year-old being approached by suspicious man—her astute response saved the girl
15-year-old Emma Carlile was walking home from Weatherhead High School in Wallasey when she saw a younger girl being approached by a suspicious stranger. What she decided to do in the next few moments, instead of ignoring her instincts, made all the difference, the Liverpool Echo reported. The man was pestering the girl to believe that he was a known friend of her dad’s. While the girl found herself stuck alone with the man, Carlile observed and overheard the conversation carefully to come to a conclusion and astutely respond. Her genius attempt possibly saved the girl’s life.
The teenager didn’t know who the girl was and whether she even belonged to her school. However, it seemed clear to her that she was much younger, possibly even in primary school. Carlile’s dad, Rik, shared the story that his daughter revealed: "She said she was walking along and she saw a ‘creepy looking man’ approach a young girl and put his arm around her." The man’s very act caused the 15-year-old to feel something was strangely off. What followed was the stranger’s deliberate and repeated attempt to convince the girl that he was someone her parents knew.
At one point, Carlile overheard him say, “I'm your dad's friend, don't you remember me? I've been to your house before.” The little girl repeatedly said that she couldn’t remember the man and was unaware of his presence. As Carlile was listening in, she started getting more confident that something was off. "Emma said you could tell that the girl just looked like she had no recollection of him whatsoever which is why she kept an eye on them,” the dad explained. The 15-year-old decided to intervene after she spotted the man persisting ruthlessly.
When the little girl tried to get her phone out and call someone, the stranger abruptly stopped her and said, “No, you don't need to ring anyone, you know who I am, I'm your dad's mate.” The teenager was convinced that the man meant trouble and followed the duo to the crossing. She quickly thought of a strategy to help the girl. "She shouted the first name that came into her head. She said, ‘Hey, Bethany! Dad will be home tonight from police training.” Rik recounted. As soon as the man heard the statement, he left the girl and walked away. The little girl was stunned by what happened, still confused but relieved that the man had finally left. "The girl looked at her and just opened her eyes wide as if to say thank you. She said she looked startled,” the dad remarked.
The duo met after they crossed and the little girl thanked her for her life-saving help. The 15-year-old, like a smart and responsible senior, assured the girl it was alright and asked her to carefully get home safe and inform her parents of the situation. No one knows what the stranger had in mind, but it was surely something untoward and terrifying. Had it not been for the 15-year-old’s observation, bravery and action, things could have taken a horrible turn. Citizens like Carlile deserve applause and recognition for being real heroes.