Missouri Kidnappings

mtatum4496

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There is a lot of discussion going on about why the fifteen year old did not make some attempt to escape during the four years he was away from his family. From what I hear, he was told early on that any attempt to escape would bring death to his family.

I also can't help but wonder what prompted the second abduction. Was the guy planning on replacing his first abductee? Perhaps he was getting tired of having him around?

This entire thing has me worried about our young people all over again.
 
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I would have to agree I think that the child was threated so many times that he just was to afraid to go for help. You cannot help but wonder when he kidnapped the other child if he was going to replace the first one because he was getting to old for him. Thank goodness they were found when they were because who knows if he would have kept the older child around for much longer. This whole incident just makes me sick to my stomach. I am so glad that they were found.
 
It is a pretty odd situation. The news was reporting that the kid had a good degree of freedom, and was often seen by neighbors out and about. He supposedly was even out after curfew and escorted "home" in the back of a police car a few times. You can't have a more perfect opportunity to eject from a bad situation than that.

Then again he was a kid, living with a version of reality twisted by the kidnapper, so who knows. I could imagine a kid not finding it so bad in the terms of "no school ever, no homework, I can do what I want". But I can't think through the mental transition between being grabbed off my bike and thrown in a trunk or something, to happily calling the guy dad. I think even at age 11 (when the kid was grabbed) I'd have an overwhelming urge to get out of dodge. I can't say it makes sense to me, maybe its some longer term version of Stockholm Syndrome. In any case the kid isn't alone in his reaction to it. If anyone remembers the Elisabeth Smart case, she acted pretty much the same way... to the point of disguising herself from police and even denying she was herself when police finally found her and asked her.
 
I just have a feeling that the kidnapper was playing some serious mind games with both the boys. At 11 years old, you are still highly impressionable. Who knows what that guy told him.
 
I could see that fourbear. It's a little disturbing because I would have imagined its not so easy to manipulate someone (even an 11 year old) to that extent. I guess it is.
 
I can't say it makes sense to me, maybe its some longer term version of Stockholm Syndrome. In any case the kid isn't alone in his reaction to it. If anyone remembers the Elisabeth Smart case, she acted pretty much the same way... to the point of disguising herself from police and even denying she was herself when police finally found her and asked her.

Yes, that is true. I suppose in time we may know more facts about how the guy had such a hold over the kid. For now, I am still trying to get my head around the entire thing.
 
I had heard someplace that the guy had told him graphically how he would kill his family if he ever tried to escape. That would probably do it for me, to know how horribly someone I loved would die, because of my actions.
 
Now they are alleging that is is possible that the older abducted boy may have been sexually abused by his captor...that would have an effect, I'm sure.
 
Yes, I have no doubt that it would have a deeply profound impact on the boy's psyche, and would continue to do so for a long long time.

I heard his parents are going to be doing an interview soon, I think with Larry King - has anyone else heard this?
 
I to think that he was sexually abused. I have a feeling this guy new exactly how to munipulate this child. Telling him that he would kill him or his parents. I also heard that sometimes where there is a situation where a child is being sexually abused if they start thinking if I do whatever this guy wants me to do maybe he won't make me do that again. I don't know if that makes any sense in text. But that is what I heard.
 
I have heard the same thing. And I would tend to think it would certainly occur to someone who felt trapped and saw no way out.

Hopefully, the boy will get all the help he needs and can put the last four years in some sort of perspective and build a life for himself.
 
Just last night I had heard that his real father who has since passed away was convicted of sexual rape on a minor. I cannot help but wonder if Shawn was abused by his natural father now and maybe this figured into his thinking when he was kidnapped? Who knows for sure, just a thought.
 
You know, if there is anything to the idea that his natural father was convicted of sexual abuse on a minor, it would go a long way to explain why he was in no hurry to get home. Perhaps he perceived his kidnapper as less of a threat than his natural father?

I suppose it will all come out before too much longer.
 
Am 11 year old child taken by a stranger with a gun can very easily be manipulated. Even without threat of violence, manipulation is quite easy in that he is in an intensive state of fear, his reality is suspended and his mind is ready to accept any kind of comfort promised. An adult would be easily manipulated in this circumstance, of course a child can. He has much less ability to cope, much less ability to reason and much less ability to defend himself.
 
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Unless he talks about what happened to the media, we'll likely never know what all DID happen to keep him there. I'm sure his family is glad to have him home, but I'm wondering if he'll ever be able to even tell them what happened.
 
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