Can you imagine seeing your missing child after 4 years?

[Bono's Betty]

Originally posted by Chizip
Well there was a messageboard on this website and the kidnapper posted a message asking how long they were going to keep looking for their kid.

Pretty creepy. Hopefully he'll be able to overcome the abuse he took during the 4 years.

I'm so happy for those two families!

[kellyahern]

Yet more proof the Bill O'Reilly is an idiot:

http://mediamatters.org/items/200701170009

[BoMac]

DA: Suspect confessed to snatching boy, 13


UNION, Missouri (CNN) -- Pizza manager Michael J. Devlin admitted to police that he snatched a 13-year-old Missouri boy, a prosecutor said Thursday.

"When Mr. Devlin was taken into custody, he did confess that he had kidnapped Ben Ownby from Franklin County," prosecutor Robert Parks told a news conference.

Devlin, 41, pleaded not guilty to kidnapping a child under age 14 at a hearing Thursday. The boy was referred to in court by his initials, "W.O."

"I'm not guilty," Devlin said during a brief appearance via video link from the county jail. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years to life in prison.

Security concerns kept Devlin from appearing in person before Judge David Tobin at the Franklin County Courthouse. He is being held in isolation on $1 million bail.

Devlin's attorneys said the not guilty plea was a procedural matter. They would not comment on the alleged confession, which was revealed after the hearing.

The attorneys said they are concerned that Devlin will not be able to receive a fair trial because of the intense media coverage of a developing drama receiving national attention.

Devlin is being held in isolation for his own safety, authorities said. His next court date was scheduled March 15, but prosecutor Parks said a grand jury is likely to get the case before then.

Ben was found with another missing teen, Shawn Hornbeck, on Friday in Devlin's apartment in Kirkwood, a St. Louis suburb. Ben had been missing for four days, Shawn for more than four years.


Similarities with 1991 case?

Authorities continue to examine similarities between the boys' alleged abductions and the 1991 disappearance of 11-year-old Arlin Henderson in Moscow Mills.

Both Shawn and Arlin were last seen riding bicycles.

Arlin had a crew cut and was wearing a camouflage shirt and pants.

Arlin bore a physical resemblance to Ben, a 13-year-old who was allegedly kidnapped January 8 as he got off the school bus near his home in Union.

Devlin has been charged with two counts of kidnapping and armed criminal action, which carries a minimum of three years.

The latter charge stems from an allegation that Devlin kidnapped Shawn at gunpoint, said Washington County Sheriff Kevin Schroeder.

Meanwhile, Missouri authorities said they are looking into the possibility that Devlin also may have monitored or even participated in a 2005 search for another missing child to learn police investigative techniques in such situations.

Lincoln County detective Chris Bartlett said Devlin was, at the very least, aware of the search for Bianca Noel Piper, 13, who disappeared in March 2005.

"Whether he was a part of it, in it or in the middle, or just watching from afar, he absolutely knew what was going on," Bartlett said. "I certainly believe Michael Devlin was monitoring our search and the disappearance of Bianca Piper."


Evidence being pooled

Police said the recovery of Ben and Shawn has breathed new life into the Piper and Henderson investigations, prompting a few more tips in those cases. Lincoln County Sheriff's Lt. Rick Harrell said that Devlin's name is being checked against archived logs and investigation files from both disappearances.

Addressing reporters Wednesday, Washington County prosecutor John Rupp said there is no question that Shawn was kidnapped and was not with Devlin voluntarily.

"Shawn was abducted against his will. Period. End of the story," Rupp said.

Parks, the Franklin County prosecutor, said he and his counterparts in other counties involved in the case are "pooling all of our evidence" to determine what other charges will be brought against Devlin.

Ben's parents said Tuesday their son is recovering from the ordeal but has not discussed what happened.

"Ben's doing fine," Doris Ownby said.

She and her husband, William, have sought professional counseling for the entire family.

"They said not to push a child that's been through something like that," William Ownby said. "Eventually, they'll come to terms and volunteer that -- or not. That's fine. He hasn't volunteered anything -- yet. But they say it takes time."


Devlin confronted

Kirkland police officer Gary Wagster and fellow officer Chris Nelson started questioning Devlin outside his apartment building after they realized his truck matched the description of the suspect's vehicle in Ben's kidnapping.

They said that initially Devlin was happy and respectful to them.

"As the questions began to get more specific, that's when the attitude changed," Wagster said. "It threw a lot of red flags up for us."

Devlin's landlord described him as an ideal tenant, and Mike Prosperi, his boss for 25 years, said his employee never gave him trouble.

"I mean, he was my manager; he counted my money. ... And you just don't do that with somebody that you don't trust," Prosperi said.

[MrsSpringsteen]

Yeah I'm sure Shawn must have loved his life with that guy, especially if he was molested. Bill O'Reilly should shut up, I wonder what he would say if God forbid someone kidnapped one of his children and they ended up in a situation like that.

I think it is a sad day indeed when people are making comments like that about a kidnapped child and making comments about a situation in which they have no idea about what happened. The finger needs to be pointed at Devlin.

[dazzlingamy]

I just think its very scary for a person to be brainwashed that much that he can have relative freedom (ie sleeping at a friends house where the chance to escape would have been high, or a cell phone where he could have called the police etc) and still not act on it. I mean he was 11 when kidnapped, thats old enough to know wrong and right and all that stuff. 4 years is a VERY long time to be "kidnapped" and not do anything about it. Obviously this Stockholm Syndrome is a very powerful psychosis. But obviously not everyone gets it, so i wonder if just some people are susceptable to it?

[kellyahern]

If an 11 year old child is kidnapped at gunpoint, probably repeated sexually molested, threatened with violence or death, told his family would be killed if he tried to escape, or told that his family had given up looking for him over and over again for 4 years, etc. - who knows what this horrible guy did to that kid - I think it's a good bet that by the time he was finally rescued, the kid was not thinking like a normal 15 year old would think about the possibility of escape.

[dazzlingamy]

yeah if all that happened, then it can be understood for him to be emotionally scarred enough not to do anything, but we don't know anything about it - i'm not saying he chose to stay there (unlike o'wanker) but im just really interested in this stockholm syndrome - because it seems to have such a hold over people.

I would like to say something more personal, but don't really feel comfortable in explaining it to all and sundry. I just think not all kids are wired this way, and it would be interesting to see a study in which some kids are more suceptable to a kidnapper while others arn't.

[kellyahern]

I don't doubt that some kids (and adults) are more likely to fall victim to stockholm syndrome than others, but like you said, we don't really know what when on in this case.

It's just that for O'Reilly to suggest the possibility that the kid stayed there because the kidnapper might have:

made things easy for him. No school, play all day long.

is really idiotic and gross.

[MrsSpringsteen]

Apparently Oprah interviewed Shawn today, I really hope that was handled in a very delicate way.

[Angela Harlem]

Yeah, I hope so too. I used to like Oprah. Lately I've seen just how bloody annoying she really is - to the point of me wondering why she even has professionals and 'experts' on. She doesn't listen to anyone, and loves to repeat her catchy so-called intellectual gems of wisdom. She's a pain in the arse and should quit tv.

[JCOSTER]

Originally posted by MrsSpringsteen
Apparently Oprah interviewed Shawn today, I really hope that was handled in a very delicate way.

I think she did a pretty good job with him. It was very very sad.
I cant even begin to imagine what this kid went through. You could still see the fear in his eyes. I hope that he can adjust and live a semi normal life.

My son is 11. I couldn't begin to imagine the terror of it all.
I hope the Devlin guy gets strung up. He stole 4 years of that childs life and tried to do it again to someone else. Who knows who was before Shawn.

[JCOSTER]

Originally posted by kellyahern
I don't doubt that some kids (and adults) are more likely to fall victim to stockholm syndrome than others, but like you said, we don't really know what when on in this case.

It's just that for O'Reilly to suggest the possibility that the kid stayed there because the kidnapper might have:



is really idiotic and gross.

He (Shawn) told Oprah in private....that he was "terrified" to try to leave.

[MrsSpringsteen]

I was channel surfing last night and O'Reilly was at it again. He made some comment to the effect that there would be something else coming out about this whole story, insinuating I suppose whatever you can imagine. Doesn't he have anything better to do than to imagine nefarious scenarios about kidnapped children and make nasty suggestions about them?

[JCOSTER]

He's an ass.

[kellyahern]

http://www.time.com/time/nation/arti...te-cnn-partner

Shawn Hornbeck's parents say they may never know the full story as to why their son Shawn never attempted to contact them or to escape during the more than four years he lived with the man police say abducted him in 2002. But they said comments by Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly that the boy may have enjoyed living with Michael Devlin more than his family had infuriated the couple.

"Can you really be that simple-minded?" Shawn's stepfather, Craig Akers, said in an interview with TIME late Thursday evening. "Our son was 11 when he was abducted. A child that age can be mentally manipulated in a very short time. Hearing him say what he said absolutely infuriates me. I can hardly even express how mad it makes me to hear that."

The comments had bothered Shawn, too, he added. "Shawn's actual words to us were that he had been terrified," Akers said. "We didn't ask him about that, but he brought it up after seeing something on the news about how he had had all these opportunities to get away. He said he was simply terrified."

[MrsSpringsteen]

I guess some adults insist upon putting adult characteristics onto children, or they are just so damn cynical (or simple minded) that they will say those things. Or something else.

Don't adults remember what it was like to be a kid? Just because it's 2007 doesn't make the basics any different. And of course the bottom line is-he KIDNAPPED a child. Or maybe he just willingly went with him cause he knew he wouldn't have to go to school anymore, or he was tired of his parents . Yeah, that's it And he could have just left at any minute, but he didn't cause it was just like living at a country club! O'Reilly needs to do his homework, looking up the Steven Stayner case would be a good start.

[BoMac]

Kidnapping, sodomy charges for boys' alleged abductor


CLAYTON, Missouri (AP) -- A Missouri man accused of kidnapping two boys and holding one for more than four years was charged Monday with forcible sodomy.

The charges were the first time authorities have openly accused Michael Devlin of molesting either of the children.

Prosecutor Robert McCulloch announced that he had filed a total of 71 felony counts against Devlin, including kidnapping. Devlin could face up to life in prison on each charge, McCulloch said.

Michael Devlin, a 41-year-old pizzeria manager, has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping charges in Washington and Franklin counties.

Last month, the search for a 13-year-old boy led to Devlin's suburban St. Louis apartment, where they found the boy along with a 15-year-old boy who had been missing since 2002.

The elder boy was 11 when he vanished while riding his bike near his home in Richwoods. The other boy disappeared after he got off a school bus in Beaufort on January 8. A white pickup seen speeding away led police to Devlin, authorities said.

[MrsSpringsteen]

I wonder what O' Reilly will have to say about that

[MadelynIris]

Sadly, 14 of the forcible sodomy counts are for the boy recently kidnapped only for a few days.

Remember O'Reilly's dirty phone call scandal? I assume he assumed his victim enjoyed that harrassment as well.

[BoMac]

[Q]Accused kidnapper indicted on federal child porn charges

(CNN) -- Michael Devlin, accused of abducting two Missouri boys and holding one for four years, has been indicted in federal court on child pornography charges, a federal prosecutor said Thursday.

U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway announced the charges -- four counts of child pornography and two counts of transporting a minor across state lines to engage in illegal sexual activity.

The charges relate to the boy that was held for four years. Both boys were freed on January 12.

The parents of 15-year-old Shawn Hornbeck, whom Devlin is accused of abducting in 2002, told Oprah Winfrey in a show that aired in January that they suspect their son was sexually assaulted by Devlin.

During that portion of the interview, Shawn, who was 11 when he disappeared, was not in the room.

Hanaway said Devlin faces up to 170 years in prison on the six charges.

Devlin, 41, has already pleaded not guilty to charges in Franklin and Washington counties that he kidnapped a 13-year-old boy in January and an 11-year-old boy in 2002. He faces life in prison on those charges.

He has also been charged in St. Louis County with 71 related counts. The first 18 counts -- one count of kidnapping and 17 of forcible sodomy -- relate to the abduction of Ben Ownby, 13.

The remaining counts are kidnapping and forcible sodomy charges related to the 2002 abduction of Shawn Hornbeck, 15.

Those charges also carry life sentences.

The new charges allege that Devlin produced Polaroid photographs and videos of Hornbeck and took him to Illinois and Arizona.

"I'm sickened by it," Hanaway said. "This minor, over the course of five years, had child pornography produced with them as the victim, and was taken across state lines so that illegal sex acts could be committed."

The two boys were discovered January 12 in Devlin's Kirkwood, Missouri, apartment after officers questioning him about his truck -- which matched the description of a vehicle seen on Ben Ownby's street when he was abducted -- became suspicious about his demeanor.

Typically, CNN does not identify alleged victims in sexual assault cases but has decided to do so in these cases, given the publicity their cases have already received.

Devlin is being held in Franklin on $1 million bail.[/Q]