anyone else have a problem with Shawn Hornbeck's father taking him on a three-day media tour . . .

[OneBlueSky]

in Chicago, beginning with Oprah this afternoon and then on to each of the networks? . . . although Shawn himself apparently won't be interviewed, having him there as a prop seems just as bad, if not worse . . .

shouldn't this kid be kept AWAY from the media as much as possible, and allowed to at least try to begin healing and leading a normal life again? . . . making him even more of a media target when he hasn't even been home for a week seems to me at best extremely unwise, at worst insensitive and even cruel . . .

I know the father has been working on behalf of missing children since Shawn disappeared over four years ago, and he undoubtedly sees this as an opportunity to bring attention to the issue . . . and I wouldn't be surprised if Oprah is paying the family handsomely for their exclusive first interview, which the family can probably use after exhausting their savings in the search for Shawn . . . still, hauling the kid around like some carnival sideshow freak strikes me as exactly the wrong thing to be doing at this very crucial time in his recovery . . .

[H2O Man]

1. No. n/t

[tanyev]

10. Hi, H2O. Did you ever do any research into the Johnny Gosch/Franklin Cover-Up?

Ever since they found this Hornbeck kid, I have been wondering if it was an isolated situation or if they might have stumbled onto the tip of another iceberg. Any thoughts?

[Mika]

2. More media distraction. ANYTHING but Bush's failures and bodycounts. n/t

[Richard Steele]

3. Not knowing them, I won't presume to judge. nm

[Neecy]

4. yeah

The other kid was all over the media yesterday, and they all looked like they were enjoying the attention a little too much. Who knows what that kid has gone through? Wouldn't you make sure he got plenty of professional help BEFORE he made the network rounds?

[pitohui]

40. what professional help would have made this not happen?

i always wonder what, exactly, professional help is supposed to do when the cause of the problem is a real problem and not some brain disorder

what happened, happened -- some headshrinker cashing in on the family tragedy isn't going to do anything but impoverish the family further

getting the message in the media could actually have some positive purpose of increasing awareness or at least allowing the family to earn a little money to pay back what was spent on the search

getting the kid sent to therapy -- teaching the kid HE is the one broken because he was the victim of a crime -- that seems terribly counter productive to me and indeed should guarantee that he spends his life considering himself damaged by his experience

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

5. From my experience...

And yes I have a little, I would say that the kid should have some more time to sort himself out. I am sure he has some important things to add to the conversation. That said, I get the feeling there is someone close to them that is telling them to strike while the iron is hot, for book and screenplay deals.

Just a guess.

[Jeanette in FL]

6. If they didn't do this media blitz

Then the media would be camped outside his house, making it impossible for him to regain some sort of normalcy.

By bringing him to the media and answering whatever questions they are able, will give the parents an opportunity to tell the media "Now, back off".

I think they are pretty much damned if they do, damned it they don't.

[Norquist Nemesis]

15. Pretty much my thinking on it as well

Surely they talked with Shawn about it first, as well as experts to get their advice on how it might affect their son.

The worst thing I've seen so far are several anchors/talking heads on MSNBC and CNN asking, "Didn't he have a responsibility to run away? He had several chances." Unbelievable.

[noonwitch]

22. The media has absolutely no respect for children and their privacy

Whether it's something like this, or the Elizabeth Smart case, or it's the Columbine shootings. All they care about is their fucking ratings. They could care less that this kid will have to enroll in school somewhere and everyone will know his business.

In cases like this, or Elizabeth Smart's case, when it comes to the details beyond the happy family reunification aspect (specifically any sexual abuse aspect), I am willing to let the prosecutor and jury represent my interests as the people, so that the courts and system can protect the children's privacy from the media.

[ronnykmarshall]

35. Even Shawn agreed to do this.

He didn't want to speak at the first press conference and they respected that.

[qanda]

7. It does seem a bit too much

But I said the same thing after Elizabeth Smart was found also. Shawn seems especially disturbed and was obviously very abused while in the custody of that evil man. I hope those children will receive the help that they so desperately need.

[in_cog_ni_to]

8. No. They're probably trying to get rid of the media firestorm by doing this.

Trying to satiate their appetite for MORE info? Hopefully, the media will leave them the hell alone after this.

[Virginia Dare]

9. He has been seduced by the media...

they are fawning all over him pretending to care, they are taking care of his simple man naivete (I don't mean dumb, I mean down to earth)-- it's sad really.

[ikojo]

11. I was wondering that as well. I hope Mr Akres and

Shawn's mom make sure he gets the therapy he needs to truly heal. Hard telling what that kid has been through the last four and a half years, which represent over a third of his life. He's not been in school since he was taken and supposedly his kidnapper threatened his life as well as the lives of his family members should he try to escape.

I don't know if they are chasing after book or movie deals or what but I don't think it can be good for Shawn to be paraded in front of cameras as if he is on some sort of display.

I hope Oprah brings up counseling to the family. All of them are going to need it. Shawn will need it just to deal with what he's endured as well as to help transition back into being in a family. His family will need it to get used to having Shawn around again and to keep from turning him into a prince.

[John Q. Citizen]

12. If Shawn was never on TV, what would people have to post about? n/t

[blm]

13. I agree with you - this kid should be getting the help he needs NOW. Media blitzes

are not in his best interest, especially when we all know the type of abuse this child has been through.

[Norquist Nemesis]

18. We don't know that he's not getting help

I have a hard time believing the parents don't have experts close at hand and didn't ask about this before doing it.

There's a whole lot going on in the background that we really have no knowledge about.

[blm]

24. I'm pretty familiar with what happens in these go-rounds. And NO expert would

pretend to know what is in that child's mind in less than a few days. How much time could they have had to concentrate on his inner thoughts and emotions with the law enforcement debriefing and media attention that accompanies these cases?

I have had a long friendship with the person whose father poured gasoline on him at a Disneyland hotel when he was a boy. The constant media attention as a boy was a contributing factor to some unpleasant experiences he has had.

[Norquist Nemesis]

32. We're just going to have to disagree

I'm aware of what goes on with them as well. What I'm NOT aware of is the details for this family. They have a wealth of resources they've been involved with since his disappearance. They're not novices. So, whether the parents are handling things correctly remains to be seen, I suppose. I'm not going to judge them.

It's a very sad thing about your friend. But I don't see it as being the same except for under the umbrella of media attention. Each person's experience is individual and bears it's own internal demons, and each deals with them differently. I hope he was able to find the strength within him to deal with such a horrible, tragic betrayal from his father and eventually able to find some happiness.

[blm]

33. I understand that COULD be the case, but the greater likelihood is that it is not.

It's just that media should be one of that LAST stops for the child, even if the adult sees the good in spreading an important message - they can make the appearance on their own.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

14. Nope. None Whatsoever. n/t

[bleedingheart]

16. Actually no considering the fact that the Hornbecks were very

active in finding missing children.

When they thought they would never find Shawn, they diverted their energies to helping find other missing children as well.

[LibDemAlways]

17. The father has an important message. Not sure

he needs to bring the boy along in order to deliver it.

What he said the other day in front of the cameras though was simple and profound. Take responsibility for your kids. Know where they are and insist that they travel in pairs when out of your sight.

Just now returning from dropping my daughter off I saw a little girl, maybe seven or eight, walking alone to school. She was standing at a corner trying to make it across a busy street without a crossing guard or even a four way stop. Unbelievable that in this day and age her parents wouldn't make sure she was escorted to school and arrived safely. My daughter is 14, and I wouldn't let her walk that route alone.

[Midlodemocrat]

19. I see that kind of thing here as well.

Unfortunately, I think some parents are in a bind. Have to get to work at the same time school starts, can't afford child care.

Hillary was right. It takes a village. We need to keep watch out for other's children.

[blm]

26. Watching out for ALL the children is something that should come naturally to a civilized

society. That it doesn't here in the US is still our nation's shame.

[riderinthestorm]

20. I couldn't begin to judge them.

There are many angles.

Maybe they are simply trying to get the (inevitable) media blitz over on THEIR terms. Maybe they are trying to make sure they promulgate their message about missing kids while the iron is still hot. Maybe Shawn is hearing the message over and over from, well, basically the world, that he did what he had to do to stay alive and that's a good thing, as well hearing over and over that his parents loved him, fought for him, worked ceaselessly to find him - all messages a counselor could/would have to take a lot of time enforcing yet it's being done right out there.

Or maybe it's a huge money grab. :shrug:

Frankly, I'm not sure how spending 3 days in the media for a kid as fucked up as Shawn, is somehow going to fuck him up more. Face it, his mental health is probably so screwed up - who are we to judge if being home with his family for these three days would/could do jack shit towards his recovery?

[Buzz Clik]

21. Sorta, but I'm in no position to judge. Let it go.

[Warpy]

23. Hell, he's probably raising cash for the intensive therapy

his son is going to need over many years.

I'm not sure that I wouldn't do the same thing.

Three (Bronx) cheers for the greatest healthcare system in the world!

[RevolutionStartsNow]

25. Nope. Would never judge, not having been in his shoes...

Thank God. The man -- and the boy, and the mom, and many other family members -- has been through hell and back again. I would never presume to imagine a motive or know what his thoughts are.

Far too many of these cases end in tragedy, this is something to be happy about.

[Bobbieo]

27. This is a very complex case and we haven't yet heard what the

kidnapper or his atttorny has to say. One question here - why did he kidnap the second boy?

[RevolutionStartsNow]

30. I wonder if we will ever know the truth

Much of it should be private (Shawn's experiences) though of course the media will go nuts over this when it starts to come out. Think Nancy Grace.

I hope the second boy is being left mostly alone, if only because of the huge spotlight on Shawn. His parents didn't have to endure the years of suffering that Shawn's did, but nevertheless it must have been devastating to have him be missing for even a short time.

As a parent, this stuff ties me up in knots. There is nothing worse than the thought of losing either of my kids.

[partylessinOhio]

28. Gee, how did victims of tragedy ever survive before we had intensive

media attention to focus in on them day after day,
week after week,
year after year?

:sarcasm:

It is none of our business that we have to keep snooping on these children. Let them get back to their lives in privacy.

This man is not Shawn's father, he is a step-father. I feel he is using Shawn's suffering to further himself.

[Bobbieo]

29. If the second boy had not been kidnapped, Shawn

would not have been found!!! Shawn had a great deal of freedon for a young man terrified of his captor. Don't be surprised to find a lot of "surprises" in this case.

[elehhhhna]

34. I think Shawn was growing "too old" and the second child was his

replacement.

[Horse with no Name]

43. This story parallels "I know my name is Steven"

Another sad and tragically true story about Steven Stayner.
That ended up being one of the saddest family tragedies ever.
He was abducted from Merced, California by a pedophile.
Was told by his abductor that his family didn't want him anymore and didn't ever want him to contact them again.
So he grew up believing that his family had discarded him.
Then, he got too old. The pedophile brought home another child.
Steven didn't want him to go through what he had gone through. So one night when the pedophile had gone to work, Steven took the little boy to the police station. He was identified as the child that was abducted some years before.
He was reunited with his family.
It was a difficult reunion. He didn't trust his parents because of what he had been told. He was a lost soul. He drank and smoked. Didn't fit in. Siblings were disjointed. Parents were overly doting.
Steven had a failed teen marriage and ended up getting killed in a motorcycle accident.
His brother, Cory, had a hard time adjusting to his brother coming back in--was inadvertently ignored by his parents and ended up being the Yosemite murderer.
I can't imagine the torture this family was forced to endure.:(

[itsmesgd]

31. I believe that he is doing it for exposure and to keep the attention on the plight of the

missing and exploited children. Did Mr. Walsh sell out his child by starting a movement? Did Polly Klaas' father do the same. Just because he got his kid back, should he close down his four year program to save other people's kids?

[LSK]

36. WHO????????????

[kerry-is-my-prez]

37. Yes - that poor kid needs to heal. It's not healty.

n/t

[earth mom]

38. The media is not going to leave them alone until they get the story.

Might as well go on Oprah because she at least won't chew them up and spit them out. A "media circus" probably doesn't even begin to describe what's going on around both families right now. Ben Ownby's parents were on one of the morning shows today without Ben, saying they want Ben out of the limelight and that he wants everything to go back to normal and that he's ready to go back to school, but they aren't ready for him to. So it's not like the families aren't trying to protect their boys. I'm sure Shawn Hornbecks family is just trying to do the right thing too because parents that have gone through this kind of thing could give a damn about the financial aspect since money could never buy their childs safe return in the first place.

Also, that being said, let's not forget that this is also the new diversion that the media loves to exploit for all it's worth which in turn keeps us all from paying attention to the continued evil deeds of * & Co.

[pitohui]

39. seize the day

the media interest is there today, it might be gone tomorrow

it wouldn't help the kid's recovery any to learn his family has been beggared by four years of searching for him, if they can get some $$$ this way and get their message out, more power to them and probably it will help the kid feel more powerful too

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

41. I sure wish they'd get off my TV.

I wonder if he's trying to sell the movie rights.

[Horse with no Name]

42. Oprah doesn't pay for interviews.

Period. She quit doing that a few years ago.
Something bothers me about that kid. His eyes are soulless. I would have him in seeing a therapist and forget about the media circuit.
I cringe at what he has probably endured.:(