A 41-year-old registered sex offender has been charged after allegedly approaching a 12-year-old girl at a school bus stop in Park Forest, Illinois, and making an inappropriate remark about his genitals.
Immanuel Miles is accused of speaking to the student as she waited for her bus near the junction of Shabbona Street and Miami Street at about 7.30am on 11 September.
According to Park Forest police, the incident was reported after the girl told her parents what had happened. Investigators identified Miles within 48 hours and took him into custody.
He has been charged with violating the Illinois Sex Offender Registration Act, a Class 4 felony. Police said Miles is listed on the state’s sex offender register.
School district issues safety warning
The girl’s parents, Tamika and Mendell Davis, said their daughter told them Miles had described his private parts as “long” before continuing to look at her.
The family, who have lived in Park Forest for nearly a decade, said they had not known that a registered sex offender lived nearby. They decided to speak publicly to alert other parents and encourage families to remain aware of their children’s surroundings.
Park Forest-Chicago Heights School District 163 notified families after the incident and said the student was safe. Superintendent Ericka Patterson urged parents to remind children not to engage with unfamiliar people, to move to a safe place if approached and to tell a trusted adult about any interaction that makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
The district also reminded families to call 911 if there is an immediate threat, while police continue to handle the criminal case.
