ORLANDO, Fla. -- A Florida lobbyist and his daughter who was molested when she was 12 years old have started a national campaign seeking to ban convicted sex offenders from loitering near places where children hang out.

Ron Book, who is a Miami attorney and lobbyist, wants a child-safety zone implemented that would keep sex offenders within 300 feet of parks, day cares and YMCAs, among other facilities.

Book's daughter, Lauren, was molested by her nanny. Lauren Book has penned a book that has a program -- called Lauren's Kids -- to teach children to recognize warning signs.

"Back home in Boca Raton, three children were sexually molested in a bathroom during the day," Lauren Book said. "And their parents said, 'Just go to the bathroom, I'm standing here.' It's not OK."

Ron Book said parents should never take their children for granted.

"Hug your children. Ask them what they're doing. Pay attention. Pay attention all the time, not just five minutes after this broadcast," he said.

Local 6 News reporter Mike Holfeld researched sex offenders in the Orlando area and found that hundreds of them live near popular parks.

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement database, 44 sex offenders live within a mile radius of Lake Eola in Orlando, and 735 sex offenders live within a 5-mile radius of the park.

"We live in Winter Garden, so we came a good little distance. The kids enjoy it here," said Lisa Sharp, who was spending a day at Lake Eola.

She told Holfeld that she's not surprised that sex offenders live in the area.

"I know how many people are out there. That's why we have to be vigilant and take care of our kids and make them aware of the dangers that are out there," said Sharp, who admitted that the high number of offenders in the are caught her off guard. "Well, I mean in my home I can do the same thing and there's five (sex offenders) just within a mile radius where they go to school."

The FDLE database showed that there are 494 registered sex offenders near the Mall of Millenia; 558 near the Fashion Square Mall; and 204 around the Altamonte Mall, all of which are popular hangouts for teens.

"If they are going to violate, they are going to go where it is easy to violate," said Seminole County sheriff's Lt. James Clark, who added that parents need to educate their children about dangerous situations. "I'm not saying walk around paranoid, I'm just saying be aware."

"Even the quietest places can be infiltrated by a sex offender. A week ago tonight, a registered sex offender was arrested and charged with voyeurism at the Barnes and Noble book store on South Orange Blossom Trail," said Holfeld.

More than 270 sex predators and offenders live within a 5-mile radius of the store, according to the FDLE database.

Resources:

For more information about Lauren Book's program, visit her Web site.

The Lauren's Kids hot line is 877-LKIDS-O1 (877-554-3701).

Visit the Florida Department of Law Enforcement sex offender database.