A parent counseling session Tuesday night and a ribbon ceremony Wednesday afternoon are ways parents and Giant City School students are trying to come to grips with the abduction of an eight-year-old student.

Demetria Moro, a third grader at the school, was allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint by her father, John D. Moro, while in class Monday at approximately 2:30 p.m.

Chris Rigdon, Giant City superintendent and principal, told parents what happened Monday when they expressed concerns Tuesday night. The parents said they were not sure what actually occurred.

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Rigdon said Moro claimed to be a student from SIUC and that he was there to talk to the librarian about one of his college classes.

I took him to the library and when I saw him talking to the librarian, I left, Rigdon said. When he left the library, he asked some kids where the third grade class room was.

Rigdon said according to Emma Jean Durr, the third grade teacher, Moro went into the room and said he wanted his daughter.

Rigdon said Durr stood between Moro and Demetria. That is when Moro pulled the gun and pointed it at the students and the teacher.

He pulled the little girl by the arm, screaming, Rigdon said. Two custodians heard her scream and one went up to the guy, but he pulled out his gun and said if he didn’t back off, he’d be dead.

Mike Rohling of Southern Illinois Regional Social Services gave pamphlets and advice to the parents about what to look for if their children should have problems.

Rohling told parents a delayed reaction to the kidnapping is not unusual and he encouraged parents to let their kids talk about what happened.

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The two most common reactions for kids is fear and guilt, Rohling said. Don’t let the kids take responsibility for this. Let them express themselves in any way they can.

Parents need to help their kids talk about what they saw, heard, felt and smelled. You need to help them through all of the sensory experiences.

Rohling said children may smell or hear something later that reminds them of the incident and they need to be prepared for that remembrance.

Rohling told parents the children need to get back to their regular routine because doing so provides the normalcy they need.

Get kids back to school as soon as possible because it is a ritual they need, he said.

Counselors for the children said the kids were willing to talk about what happened and listen to each other. They also said the children felt bad for Demetria.

At Wednesday’s ribbon ceremony in the Giant City School yard, Diana Lomax, president of Giant City School Progress Association, said the children are coping with the situation well. Lomax told children the ribbons are a way to let people know that they have not forgotten Demetria.

Since you were Demetria’s friends and classmates, we (GCSPA and the school faculty), thought you would like to help us put some ribbons on the trees, Lomax said to the children.

Lomax told the children to remember what the ribbons stand for in case someone asked them.

The third graders are also writing notes to Demetria and making cards for Demetria’s mother, Lomax said.

Giant City School board president Bob Buffington said they have offered Demetria’s mother any help she may need.

She has a full understanding that the Giant City School is offering her any type of support, Buffington said.

Police said, as of 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, Moro was still at large.