Parents think kidnapped son was molested

[shanti]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070119/ap_on_re_us/boys_found_investigation

By CHERYL WITTENAUER, Associated Press Writer
Thu Jan 18, 7:46 PM ET

ST. LOUIS - The parents of a kidnapped Missouri boy said Thursday they believe their son was molested during the four years he was missing, and his grandmother claimed his captor had awakened the boy every 45 minutes, apparently as a way to control him.

The comments came the same day the man suspected of snatching 15-year-old Shawn Hornbeck in 2002 pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping another boy on Jan. 8.

Michael Devlin, a 41-year-old pizzeria manager, was accused of taking 13-year-old Ben Ownby just after he got off the school bus in Beaufort. A schoolmate's tip about a white pickup truck helped lead authorities to Devlin's suburban St. Louis apartment and to the dramatic rescue of Ben and Shawn on Jan. 12.

Prosecutors said Devlin, who also is charged with kidnapping Shawn, terrorized the boy with a handgun to get him to cooperate.

The case has prompted authorities to investigate Devlin in cases involving two missing boys and one girl in eastern Missouri dating back to 1988.

*snip*

[illinoisprogressive]

1. I hope the creep is locked in with some really scary guys.

[amandabeech]

3. Put him in with guys from the Salvadoran gang, MS-13.

He'll last about two minutes.

[barb162]

24. that'll do it, alright

[shanti]

4. this story is really heartbreaking

:cry: i have four sons of my own and i'm not a violent person in the least, but if that had happened to one of mine? oh man.

child predators were taught to be so in most cases, but sorry, i cannot dig up any sympathy for them. he won't last too long in the big house - he destroyed many lives.

[High Plains]

31. What is with all the bloodthirsty so-called progressives around here?

This guy will undoubtedly be imprisoned, as he should be. Wishing extra-judicial punishments upon him is just sick. Enjoy your revenge fantasies!

[ShortnFiery]

2. Am I the only one who feels like we are violating these good people's personal

lives? :wtf: over!

Why can't the damn news media back off for a couple of weeks? It's not like they stopped killing scores of people in Baghdad OR Lindsey Lohan has already checked out of rehab.

I find our voyeuristic media, over the top on this (and previous stories).

I'm sickened and wish the media would leave these families ALONE for the short term. :grr:

[w4rma]

5. Won't happen. This type of story gets gargantuan ratings. (nt)

[shanti]

6. i understand what you're saying...

however, the only way the cockroaches are found is when the light is shined upon them. i could give two shits about lindsay lohan, but these boys were vulnerable children. apples and oranges, imo.

[ShortnFiery]

8. I disagree, it's a local story - it's tragic but does not warrant

hyper-focused media attention. It's a tragedy all the way around - please know that the more the media continues to pick these families apart, the more likely that these young boys will never realize sound mental health.

My continued opinion: Leave these families ALONE to grieve and heal. :grr:

[shanti]

10. and my

continued opinion is that if this can keep another child from being expoloited, let the story be told :mad:

[seriousstan]

13. The damn stupid parents took the kid on Oprah already.

Somehow discussing this is wrong and their greed for 15 minutes of shame or fame isn't?

[ShortnFiery]

15. They had to feed the media beast, but now they are asking for privacy. n/t

[Karenca]

16. Exactly my feelings.

The poor child.
I feel so sorry for him.

[OneBlueSky]

17. that interview was so painful to watch . . . because you could tell that the kid . . .

was himself in immense pain and really, really did not want to be the center of attention . . . he never should have been put in front of cameras like that less than a week after his return home . . . shame on Oprah for putting ratings ahead of the kid's welfare, and on his parents for allowing it to happen . . .

[noonwitch]

18. The other kid's parents appeared, but their son didn't.

They wanted to warn other parents to watch their kids, but they also didn't comment about whether their kid was sexually abused. I say let the public follow the kidnapping case, but keep the sex stuff between the lawyers, the judge and the jury.

[xchrom]

20. i totally agree. -- i find the morbid fascination with cases

that gain national attention disturbing.

i pay no attention to them past the most cursory updates -- or to read about them.

but i loathe televised reports -- family interviews -- in depth analysis of their private pain.

blech.

[derby378]

7. They THINK he was molested? Well, duh...

Yes, I'm sure the kidnapper snatched Shawn up just because he wanted to be a father figure to the boy, nothing sexual there.

When I hear of any child being kidnapped nowadays, I automatically assume molestation, if not outright rape, is involved.

[illinoisprogressive]

9. the good think about this story is that they help the pros learn alot in

dealing with the sickos. I heard Polly Klaus dad say that more and more with kids like Shawn and that Elizabeth Smart, they are learning more and more about the creeps and how to find kids, ect.
it's so heartbreaking that it has to happen. My kids are now grown but, I always worried. It's a sad thing and i cannot imagine the heartbreak of a family that has to deal with it.
I just so hope that he gets the counseling (and his parents seem like the kind that will) needs. Did anyone notice what a charming smile that kid has. I sure hope it come out alot as time goes on

[shanti]

11. ok, you understand

thank you...it's painful, but needs to be told.

[ShortnFiery]

12. We are not learning much, we are behaving voyeuristic ...

I know people who work with victims and others who are strapped with the difficult task of counseling the perpetrators.

Nothing good will come of this because there are idiosyncratic aspects to all crimes, even those involving kidnapping, children and sex.

Again, like we obsessed with Elizabeth Smart and Polly Klaus we got our "sicko interests" sated.

However, it's better to read a good novel and wait for the trial.

You have no idea how much harm that a swarming media does to these innocent families.

Such media obsessions only serve those of us voyeurs who insist on the instant facts while the victims and their families are damned.

Look at Mark Klaus? Do you honestly think that he's not wrapped tight? Nope, he has not moved beyond his anger. Nope, it's not healthy to obsess on the anger and not move on to reach resolution in the privacy of ones own family.

The victims, the little boys do not deserve our obsessions. It's just wrong. :(

If you have to know the specifics, please earn a masters in psychology. That way you can take seminars in exotic adult behavior disorders without violating the privacy of a victim's family.

No, not much of use will be revealed here save for our SICK need to know all the sordid details. Again, a tragedy from beginning to end.

The news media has NO SHAME, and, IMO, neither do those who remain obsessed with such stories.

[kittykitty]

14. Oprah announced a campaign to put molesters in prison -FOREVER -after the FIRST conviction-

No more pedophiles caught, a few months or years in prison, then back on the streets. They are off the streets for good. I don't know how she will accomplish this, but she is pretty determined.

She had the parents and the boy on her show today. I didn't really pay attention as I had a long phone call, but I just caught the end where she announced her intentions to mount a campaign to put them away.

[Harper_is_Bush]

19. I can't believe these people went on Oprah and told the world their son was molested.

Is that what the boy wanted the world to know at this moment? I'd be surprised.

[ShortnFiery]

21. Wait one before you judge them harshly ...

There was an absolute feeding frenzy over this case. Now think about the following: You're a family who is in pain and you want your PRIVACY gleaned as soon as possible. Now what show can you go on and accomplish the forgoing in one fell swoop? Ding! Ding! Ding! I'd bet money that their closest advisers recommended that they go on "that arrogant woman's" (Oprah's) show.

I have little ongoing respect for Oprah as her ego is getting too large to fit into a room. HOWEVER, and the following is important: They knew that ole' know-it-all and do-it-all Oprah would be the Alpha and Omega on this subject. The sacrifice of one hour was well worth it since the family is calling for privacy now. They will get their privacy because Oprah will demand it. :eyes:

The plan is perfect! This family may have the needed time to reunite in privacy.

God Bless Them and may the Media butt out until the trial. :thumbsup: :grouphug:

[MadMaddie]

22. Sounds like you don't like Oprah?

But you can never take away the fact the she was molested as a child...so she knows the pain. And hate her if you must, if anyone in this country can help get legislation passed to put child molesters away for the rest of their natural life it is Oprah....just sayin

[G Hawes]

23. Pardon me, but BS

The Oprah show (not Oprah personally) is Exhibit number one in how NOT to get meaningful legislation passed by any rational lawmaking body. No offense intended, but the day that talk show television dictates legislation in the U.S. is the day the country may as well lay down and die.

I'm all for the creep being locked up for the rest of his life if and when he's proven guilty, and the law already exists to get him there, but I'm not at all interested in Oprah's opinion about it or in any other talk show television host's opinion about it.

[ShortnFiery]

28. Believe it or not "The Creep" is a human too

He's immoral and should be locked up, with treatment. There are people who will work with people you claim are less than human. But consider, maybe they were abused in their childhood too?

I don't hate Oprah but she has, IMO, mentally gone on "The Big Vacation." She overestimates her influence and her notoriety ends up hurting the psyches of nearly everyone who is dealing with emotional problems on her show. Like many celebrities, she basques in her own glow and yes, years ago she was very likable. But now? IMO, not so much so.

Nope, I just wish Oprah would retire and devote herself to philanthropy. Those who truly give and give freely (see Secular Franciscans) insist on anonymity. It's just a way of life for a very few special people whom we will never see spotlighted within the media.

Isn't that what it's all about? => Compassion and understanding that such profound issues should not be put under a national media microscope? That no matter how horrible the crime, that someone will treat these humans and God will wait and hope for their humble confession and sincere amends. Yes, they are virtually incurable, but that does not make them any less human. As disgusting as the forgoing sounds, they are also human, SICKO but human. :shrug:

[gorbal]

27. They just seemed in shock

I don't think they were thinking straight. I did see so much pain and anger in suffering in Shawns eyes, and when people got up and clapped for him he looked in absolute agony.

I was reading that they won't even let him go on dates alone....way to drive him away after you get him home finally.

[Eurobabe]

25. That's a no brainer, what else would a 41 y/o

loner do with an 11 y/o boy? Play tiddly winks? I don't think so.

This is such a fucking heinous crime, this creep deserves to rot in prison or be castrated if he indeed molested this child.

[zann725]

26. The truly scarey thing no one is focused on, is Devlin's 2nd job: at Funeral Parlor.

The first time I heard that mentioned, the possibilities of availability (through the job) to dispose of recently killed bodies...or access and/or "tampering" with dead bodies is wide-open due to this job. Plus a person wanting sex with helpless young children, might also be attracted to inanimate, dead victims.

Why has no one explored this 2nd job of Devlin's more? Wasn't this job also a "night shift" job? (Lack of supervision.)

[mod mom]

29. Can't we let these boys heal and get out of the media spotlight? If these were

my children, I would tell the media to get the f out of their faces.

[slackmaster]

30. Shocking

:eyes: