Charles City kids offered "Escape School" following girl’s murder

The Floyd County Attorney’s Office sponsors a program tomorrow (Saturday) in Charles City to help teach kids to recognize and avoid dangerous situations, and to get away if they have to. Floyd County Attorney Marilyn Dettmer says “Escape School” is presented by experienced trainers who’ve done this all over the country. Dettmer says the presenters have been on the Oprah Winfrey and Good Morning America TV programs. She notes they put on the same program in Charles City a couple years ago but says it’s well worth repeating, “given the trauma and the grim reminder of the Evelyn Miller case.” It was a month ago that 5-year-old Evelyn Miller disappeared from her mother’s home in Charles City and was later found dead. Dettmer says at the “Escape School” workshop, parents can get help archiving vital information in case of an emergency. Charles City police will offer “Child I-D” kits, so parents can have the child fingerprinted, photographed and even get a DNA sample taken. Then the parents get the kit to keep. Dettmer says she’s had a number of people express concern about the safety of their children since Miller disappeared the night of July first. Dettmer says law enforcement and the Department of Human Services “All of us who work in the field do all we can to protect chdilren.” But she says the ultimate responsibility remains with parents. When asked if families are more at risk today, Dettmer says she replies, “You’re no more at risk — and you’re no less at risk.” She says all parents have to keep safety in mind. Dettmer says the case of Evelyn Miller proves parents can’t disregard their kids’ safety because they live in a small town. She says such a tragedy isn’t the kind of thing we associate with small towns, but it happened, “and it can happen anywhere.” Local Charles City businesses are helping sponsor the abduction prevention program. The “Escape School” program will be held at noon Saturday at the Charles Theater in Charles City.