HEATH - Police have arrested a man who is accused of attempted kidnapping, after he allegedly slipped into a side door at Dorothy Smith Pullen Elementary, on Thursday.
Desi Smalley, 36, was caught in Arkansas this morning.
He'll soon be on his way back to North Texas.
The incident has every school in the Rockwall district extra vigilant today about security and safety.
School officials have informed parents of what took place.
Smalley got into the school in the lunch hour through a side door, leading to the cafeteria, where students were lined up for lunch.
He offered to buy the children ice-cream.
Officials said what was most alarming, was a conversation the man had with one of the students.
"They assessed the situation, they tried to redirect the man into the correct protocol," said Sheri Fowler, from Rockwall, ISD.
The man was taken to the office where visitors routinely check in. He explained he was there to have lunch with a student.
Officials ushered him out the door and called police.
Parents, like Kevin Monk, have praised the way the incident was handled.
"It's always a nervous situation when you hear a report like that but we were real pleased that the school was on top of things," said Monk.
School officials say the man was on campus for no more than 10 to 15 minutes.
Police say the man they arrested has a record but no history of sexual offenses. He had been living in Mesquite.
E-mail cvega@wfaa.com
