NC- CMS bus stop in front of sex offender's house

Has anyone heard of a "Neighborhood Watch" system where different folks take turns watching the neighborhood. How about parents -instead of leaving their child alone at a bus stop, which is illegal virtually everywhere (Check w/CPS), parents supervise their children. Its called obeying the law!

8-23-2009 North Carolina:

A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools bus stop is right in front of a registered sex offender's house, but CMS won't change the bus stop's location despite parents' pleas.

That has parents in the Winget Pond neighborhood ticked off. They contacted us after getting their childrens' bus assignments in the mail.

His name is Robert Lance Neal. Court records show he's a registered sex offender, convicted for sexually abusing a 10-year-old in Illinois.

Now, records show Neal lives on Arrington Heights Place in Charlotte. Out his front door is a CMS bus stop.

"Eight to ten that I'm aware of," a mother says describing home many children are picked up at the stop.

She doesn't want to be identified, but wants a new bus stop further away from Neal.

"I do believe that there are some easy steps that could be taken that at least we could feel more comfortable with, knowing that kids are being dropped off on that particular corner of the neighborhood," she said.

But, CMS says the bus stop location isn't changing because they can't control and police bus stops.

And, CMS says registered sex offenders are everywhere -- and it would have to change bus stops all the time.

We searched and found three sex offenders in the Winget Pond neighborhood. Broaden out the search to 5 miles and you can see more sex offenders pop up.

Parent Valerie Hall doesn't buy CMS' explanation. Her five kids use that bus stop.

"There's no way that an elementary school girl should be at a bus stop where a sex offender lives," Hall said.

Neighbors say Neal stays to himself and hasn't caused problems. They say he's the example of their concern, and so too is CMS' lack of action.

"You do what you have to do to protect our children. That's the main concern," Hall said.

CMS policy says sex offenders can't go on CMS property. That includes bus stops. So, it means when Neal is home and kids are at the bus stop, he can't be there. If he is, CMS law enforcement will remove him.

CMS asks parent to help them monitor these situations and stay at the bus stops with their kids until they get on the bus. ..Source.. by Tony Burbeck, WCNC