Fake call gets girl from class

A 13-year-old West Fargo girl, missing since Monday when a college student posed as her dad to get her out of school, was found late Tuesday.

The girl and two friends were found safe at a Dilworth residence, according to Sgt. Joe Birrenkott of the West Fargo Police Department.

Aaron Fairbanks, the girl's father, spent Tuesday trying to find his oldest child amid feelings of terror for her safety and anger at the school that let her leave.

"I don't know who's in the wrong here or not, but they have to change their way of doing things," Fairbanks said. "This is absolutely crazy."

Jacob Nelson, 19, said he was surprised at how easy it was to get Britney Fairbanks, an eighth-grader, out of Cheney Middle School. He said he last saw the girl Monday night and then tried to help the family find her.

"The attendance lady at the school didn't even say anything," Nelson said. "She said, 'Alright, she'll be out in a little bit.' "

Nelson said he was with two of Britney's friends, Durae and Crystal White, when they told him to make the call.

"I didn't want to do it at first," he said. "I didn't think I sounded like an adult."

He did, though, and then he waited with the Whites in his green Honda in the school's parking lot. When Britney didn't emerge, Nelson's friend, Wesley Jordan, 18, called the school from another location, again posing as Britney's father, Nelson said.

Superintendent Chuck Cheney said parents must call or write a note before students can leave Cheney Middle School.

"In this case, a lot of people are wishing we would've said the parents need to come in," Cheney said. "But with this particular family, their normal course of events was, 'We'll be out front, please send her out.' "

Some parents meet their child in the office. In the past, this family wanted their daughter to meet them outside, Cheney said.

Aaron Fairbanks said he has never picked up his daughter during school, but his wife has, and she normally does not stop in the office to get her.

Fairbanks said the school should require more proof in such a situation.

"There needs to be a stricter policy other than just calling on the phone," he said.

Cheney said the district may review its policy.

"There's a level of concern here," he said.

Other middle schools have similar policies for letting students leave during the school day.

Moorhead's Horizon Middle School and Fargo's Agassiz Middle School require students' parents to call or write a note before the student can leave. Students also receive a pass to leave.

At Agassiz, some parents meet their child inside; others wait outside, said Principal Brad Larson.

The school's attendance clerk doesn't verify the call or note unless something "looks fishy," he said.

"We don't check on everyone," he said. "We hope we always make the right decision."

Nelson said he and Jordan spent part of Monday night drinking and watching MTV with the girls. The girls didn't drink much, and one didn't have any, he said.

The girls eventually went to another friend's house, and Nelson said Monday he hadn't seen them since. He has been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and being a minor in consumption of alcohol.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Dave Forster at (701) 241-5538