Pickup safety emphasized in schools after incident

WAYNE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - School pickup safety is being highlighted in school districts, after a man allegedly tried to pick up a child from school and have sex with them.

Wayne High School Principal Sara Stapleton said quick thinking by staff prevented Jonathan Aliff from picking up a child.

“Our secretary was aware of the situation. She noticed that things were not exactly how they should have been. He wasn’t on an emergency card,” Stapleton said.

Officials say keeping up-to-date information on emergency cards is crucial in preventing unauthorized people from picking up children.

“If there is a situation where now someone cannot pick up that child or they are granted custody, make sure we have that information,” Stapleton said.

Wayne County Superintendent Todd Alexander said he is pleased with how the school dealt with the situation.

“This was a situation that was handled perfectly, and we are certainly proud of the way Wayne High School handled it,” Alexander said.

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