VALLEJO (KRON) — The Klaas Kids foundation teamed with a survivor of a kidnapping years ago to host a child safety event in Vallejo.
At the event, families learned how to take preventative steps so their kids don’t become the next victim.
Sixteen years ago, now 24-year-old Midsi Sanchez escaped from the grip of a serial child rapist and killer. It was a harrowing tale that inspired her to launch a clothing line called, Stay Alive.
“I hope that people can look at me and say if she could escape at 8 years old from an adult that was trying to hurt her, then I can — anyone can,” Sanchez said.
She hopes the event at the Vallejo waterfront park will become an annual one.
Sanchez teamed with child safety and victim’s rights advocate Marc Klaas and his organization, the Klaas Kids Foundation, to educate families on how to protect their children.
Parents who wanted it could receive headshots of their kids, along with their fingerprints.
“And, what we do is we give their parents a suite of child safety tools on what we call a biodoc,” Klaas said. “It contains the picture, it contains the prints, it contains blank form fields for personal and private information, and on the back, are proactive and non-threatening child safety tips, internet safety tips, and a 12-point plan on what to do in the case of an emergency.”
Victims’ families also set up booths, calling attention to their loved one’s cases, including the parents of Pearl Pinson, the Vallejo teen beaten and abducted earlier this year.
James Pinson just wants his daughter back.
“We just want to keep her name out there, you know,” Pinson said. “If you guys see anything, even if you think it’s something small, just contact police.”
And Vallejo police were also in attendance.
One booth honored Eric Reyes.
“He was murdered when he was 18,” mother Isabel said.
Reyes was shot twice in the back in February.
His killer is still on the run.
Isabel won’t give up trying to solve this crime.
“He was murdered in a public place in front of Saags hot dogs on Springs Road on a Saturday morning, 11:30 in the morning, and it was public,” Isabel said. “People saw. I just want people to come forward and say what they saw.”
“The point of this event is totally about prevention. We want to prevent any kind of victimization, whether it’s a little child that wanders off, or something much more serious, Klaas said”
“We want to prepare the families and children for the unthinkable and getting them fingerprinted, getting them DNA kits — it’s a way to jump start investigation and not waste any time,” Sanchez said.