Man In Custody After Breaking Into Preschool, Talking To Children About Jesus
By Tom Mustin
DENVER (CBS4) - Concerned parents carried their children out of the Margery Reed Mayo Day Nursery in the middle of the day on Tuesday.
"I wasn't sure what was going on here. I saw the yellow police tape and I said, 'Oh my goodness,'" parent Decoyia Patton told CBS4's Tom Mustin.
At approximately noon on Tuesday a man described as acting "erratically" tried to enter the Catholic Charities building, located at 1128 28th Street. Witnesses told police the man started talking to the children about Jesus and then started touching himself.
Staff members told the man to leave. Police say the suspect then exited the building but then gained access to the building again by kicking in a window and climbing through.
Inside that room he entered were dozens of children, ages 6 months to 5 years old. The school went into emergency protocol procedures.
Police were called and the children were escorted by teachers into the basement.
"Unfortunately the intruder did gain access into the facility, but due to the quick thinking of staff he was locked into a room where he couldn't gain access to the main facility," said CEO Larry Smith.
Police arrived within minutes and arrested Benjamin Henry Wallace. No children or staff were hurt. Parents like Amber, who said she didn't wish to provide her last name, were notified immediately.
"I was scared. This is supposed to be a safe community and obviously it is not. It's supposed to be gated and locked at all times and obviously it is not," she said.
Amber admits the school followed its lockdown procedures perfectly. Even so, she says she's not happy with the lessons her young daughter has been forced to learn.
"Colorado is getting out of hand. It's out of hand."
Wallace, 22, is facing charges of first-degree burglary and indecent exposure. He has no previous arrests on record.
Tom Mustin is CBS4's Weekend Anchor. He has been with CBS4 since 2002, and is always looking for great story ideas. Connect with Tom on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @TomCBS4.
