Trenton Duckett updates

There are some new developments in the Trenton Duckett case click here for updates.

Some new posts

Recent Posts of interest

An Amber Alert it’s all relative
The hoax is on you
Don’t like the answers, change the questions
Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina
Are you missing adults?
Law and Order
Support or lack of support?
On Wisconsin
Amber alert or Alarm clock?
Gorilla in the midst

September updates - When a child goes missing

View September updates for "When a child goes missing". Some of the stories being followed are about Trenton Duckett, Kevin Brown, Casey Crowder, Elian Majano and others.

Future updates

Look for some new updates on this blog It contains topics related to missing children and a list of references to assist you should your child go missing. I will continue to periodically post here on a less frequent basis for a little while.

Destiny Norton

Article Last Updated: 07/25/2006 03:14:54 AM MDT

Destiny found dead
Police arrest a man living next door

By Nate Carlisle The Salt Lake Tribune

The Salt Lake Tribune reported the body of Destinty Norton had been found in the basement of her next door neighbor, Craig Roger Gregerson, 20.

America's Most Wanted coverage

On America’s Most Wanted television show Saturday night, there was approximately a five second mention of the disappearance of Destiny Norton. They displayed a photo with an announcer doing a voice over.

By all accounts, her story has been mostly a regional story with little, if any, national coverage. Since her pictures and story have been on the internet for over a week, will a short blurb on AMW help that much?

It is somewhat ironic with the vote on H.R. 4472, the ‘‘Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006’’ and the upcoming 25th anniversary of his death, you might have thought there would have been more coverage of her disappearance.

Tracking sex offenders

"Pedophiles use the Web to hunt our children. Now we will start using the Web to hunt down sexual predators," Sen. Orrin Hatch

Read more

3 1/2 feet tall and weighs about 45 pounds

Destiny Norton

When is a poster created in the NCMEC database? I searched today for information on Destiny Norton and found none. What is the criteria? The only criteria I could find regarding the database is:

1) Case has been entered into the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Crime Information Center (NCIC).

2) Waiver from parent, guardian, or law-enforcement agency is on file at NCMEC giving permission to disseminate photograph of missing child.

3) Posters containing photograph of abductor(s) are included only if a felony warrant has been issued for the abductor and the subject has been entered into the NCIC Wanted Person File.


An Amber Alert was issued Monday for a 5-year-old girl, Destiny Norton, last seen at her Salt Lake City house Sunday night.

"...She was last seen about 8:30 p.m. Sunday night after she reportedly had had an argument with her mother and went outside to "cool off," .

Her father noticed a suspicious man in the area. A check of court records by the Deseret Morning News found, however, that the man, a 51-year-old Bosnian national, was charged in 3rd District Court in 2002 with two counts of sexual abuse of a child, both 2nd degree felonies, and one count of sexual abuse of a minor, a class A misdemeanor. A jury acquitted the man on all charges in February 2003...."

But police worked separately from volunteers. They even asked the media to discourage volunteers from coming into the neighborhood.

Reporter: "Do you want help from the public in searching?"

Robin Snyder, Salt Lake City Police Dept.: "Not yet. We don't have an organized search effort yet, but if we do get one, we will definitely put out the word."

By 11:30 a.m. the Amber Alert was cancelled because the person they were looking for was found, said Salt Lake City police detective Robin Snyder, and the criteria for issuing an alert was no longer there. However, more than 50 city police officers along with agents from the FBI continued looking for Destiny.

By noon Monday, police were not accepting volunteers from the public to help search but said they might do that if the search area expanded. Family members, however, walked up and down the neighborhood passing out fliers with Destiny's picture.

Detailed article.

All statistics point to time being of the essence. Florida implemented the Child Abduction Response Team CART program began in early 2005 as a result of the tragic abduction of 11-year-old Carlie Brucia in Sarasota, Fla. in February 2004. It is designed to mobilize assistance quicker.

Lifetime Achievement?

Remember Richard W. Thompson, the sex offender who was too short to go to prison?

Nebraska State Statute 29-4002 declares that sex offenders present a high risk to commit repeat offenses and that efforts of law enforcement agencies to protect their communities, conduct investigations, and quickly apprehend sex offenders are impaired by the lack of available information about individuals who have pleaded guilty to or have been found guilty of sex offenses and who live in their jurisdiction. Because of that, the legislature determined that state policy should assist efforts of local law enforcement agencies to protect their communities by requiring sex offenders to register with local law enforcement agencies as provided by the Sex Offender Registration Act.

NEBRASKA SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY PUBLIC NOTIFICATION

2006 Child Abduction Murder Study

“…In late 1993, the Criminal Division of the Washington State Attorney General's Office undertook a 3-1/2 year research project, partially funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, to study the investigation of child abduction murder cases.

In this first research project, published in 1997, researchers reviewed more than 600 child abduction murder cases across the United States, then interviewed the investigating detectives. This data provided law enforcement valuable insight into what investigative techniques tend to be most productive….”

The follow up study involved an additional 175 solved cases.

Here are some of the interesting findings:

With more killers identified, researchers found threat that the killer will be a friend or acquaintance is nearly equal to that of a stranger.

The probability that the killer’s name will come up during the first week of the investigation has decreased.

The use of pornography by killers as a trigger to murder has increased.

To view a summary or entire study visit 2006 Child Abduction Murder Study

Accurate Reporting?

A quick search of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) will provide the following information for the period 07-01-06 thru 07-15-06.

Endangered missing 2
Endangered Runaway 10
Family abductions 0
Hague cases 0
Lost, Injured, missing 0
Missing 0
Non Family abductions 1
Unidentified 0
Unknown 0

There according to Department of Justice statistics, over 800,000 reported missing children every year. That would be @67,000 per month.

If the cases reported to NCMEC have been resolved, may be they should add a category. There is a major discrepancy between @67,000 per month historically reported missing and so far this month, 13 missing children, all between the ages of 14-18 years old?

Read related Blog Topic

Swiss Cheese and loopholes

A new law went into effect on July 1st in Tennessee. One of the law change advocates was Senator Diane Black. She felt there were to many loopholes to the previous law on the books.



When an authority figure, such as a teacher, is convicted of statutory rape when the victim is at least 13 years old, but less than 18, and the offender is at least four years older than the victim, he or she will receive a minimum three year jail sentence with a maximum of 15 years.

When, Pamela Rogers, a teacher from McMinnville, received only a six-month sentence for having sexual relations with one of her students.

Why do the laws vary so much by state? Is a teacher molesting a child in one state less of a crime then one in another state?

Read more in this article

View from the hill

According to NCMEC, in FY 2005 there were 7,000 reports of endangered runaways and 774 reports of children involved in or suspected of being involved in child prostitution.

Currently between Jan 1, 2005 and Dec 31,2005 there are 240 endangered runaways listed on the NCMEC site.

Were the other 6,760 endangered runaways found, de-listed, or move to some other category?

Congressional testimony

Statement of Chris Swecker, Acting Executive Assistant Director, Law Enforcement Services. Federal Bureau of Investigation Before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations April 6, 2006.

Mountain or molehill

We have all heard the saying about making mountains out of molehills. When you view the missing children statistics, they claim approximately 800k children are reported missing each year, while another 500k are missing that are never reported. In fact there are over 2,100 missing children per day!


A search of the NCMEC site for Missing children from 01-01-06 thru 07-05-06 revealed there were 514 missing children. If you view the period 06-01-06 thru 07-05-06 it revealed:

Total missing children 106

Endangered missing 0
Endangered Runaway 86
Family abductions 0
Hague cases 0
Lost, Injured, missing 4
Missing 14
Non Family abductions 2
Unidentified 0
Unknown 0

I realize they may not post those cases “resolved” regardless of the outcome, but it seems a far cry from 800k. Are they resolved before being sent to the NCMEC? Are they deleted once resolved. Or is it making a mountain out of a molehill as to the number of actual occurrences involving missing children? Depends on your view.

State of confusion?

There are approximately 116 Amber Alert Systems currently in place. Some are Statewide, some are Regional and yet others are local. The activation criteria can vary, including the age of the child. The plan may be run by the Public sector or in conjunction with a Private sector company. The following is a random look at a few plans. You can view your state at Amber Alert

In Indiana, The Allen County/Fort Wayne/New Haven AMBER Plan will be set in motion for all of Allen County by one of the cooperating police agencies.

1) The child is 14 years of age or younger, or 15 through 17 years given consideration to the conduct of the victim perhaps contributing to their disappearance, and;

2) The law enforcement agency believes the missing child has been abducted and is in danger of serious bodily harm or death, and;

3) The abductor and/or child are likely to still be in the Allen County broadcast area, and;

4) There is a likelihood someone who is provided with a description of the abductor, the child, or the vehicle involved may observe and report the whereabouts of this person(s) to the police, then

The Alabama AMBER plan will be set in motion for the state by one of the cooperating law enforcement agencies when a child abduction is reported and investigation reveals that:

1. A child has been abducted as defined by 13A-6-40 Alabama Criminal Code, AND;

2. The child is less than 18 years old, AND;

3. The child is at risk of serious bodily harm or death, AND;

4. There is enough descriptive information about the child, abductor, and/or suspect’s vehicle to believe an immediate broadcast alert will help investigators locate the child.

The Tuscaloosa AMBER plan will be set in motion for the Tuscaloosa area by one of the cooperating police agencies when a child abduction is reported and investigation reveals that:

1.A child has been abducted as defined by 13A-6-40 Alabama Criminal Code, AND;

2. The child is less than 16 years old, (16 or 17 year old children will be considered on a case by case basis, given weight to their physical and/or mental capacity, or their own criminal conduct contributing to the disappearance.), AND;

3. The child is at risk of serious bodily harm or death, AND;

4. There is enough descriptive information about the child, abductor, and/or suspect’s vehicle to believe an immediate broadcast alert will help investigators locate the child.

To activate the Florida AMBER alert the following five (5) criteria must be met.

1. The child must be under 18 years of age.

2. There must be a clear indication of an abduction.

3. The law enforcement agency's investigation must conclude that the child's life is in danger.

4. There must be a detailed description of child and/or abductor/vehicle to broadcast to the public (photo when available).

5. The activation must be recommended by the local law enforcement agency of jurisdiction.

In order for Georgia to activate, the following criteria must be met:

1. There must be a confirmed child abduction

2. The circumstances surrounding the abduction must indicate that the child is in imminent danger of harm or death

3. The child must be 18 years of age or younger

4. There must be enough descriptive information to believe that an immediate broadcast alert will help recover the child

5. Request for activation of alert must be made as soon as possible after abduction reported (within four hours of abduction ideal)

6. The case must be entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database

Is there any wonder why there is confusion as to when to activate an alert?

You've got......

Did you know that if child porn is detected, by the Internet Service Provider (ISP), they are required to report the case to the missing children's center for further investigation, under federal law.

The article link discusses approaches to battle child porn images. Part of the plan is to create a unique mathematical signature for each one based on a common formula. Emails would then be scanned for any matches.

What the plan seems not to address currently are the social networking sites, photo sites and non email related distribution of these images. Will the ISP’s scan their entire sites for any matches to the mathematical signature regardless of where the image reside or just emails and possibly IM’s?

Internet Providers to Battle Child Porn
By Anick Jesdanun 06/27/06

Doctor, Lawyer,.....

“….According to the Seattle Times, Monday, after an Amber Alert and police manhunts, Riley was back in the hospital and Tina Carlsen was in custody, charged with second-degree kidnapping..”

If she had taken him to a holistic Doctor initially, would she have faced charges if she later “kidnapped” him and took him to a hospital for surgery?

Time flies...

Next time you are just “killing” time you might want to think about what else is happening.

FBI Statistics.

Finger pointing?

Most people would agree that missing children are considered a national issue. That appears to be why there is a National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). So, why are there 116 Amber Alert systems? Why does the criteria differ by state?

"...and never the twain shall meet..."

"...Children who are abducted, when they're taken, are told one of the 'Three Ds,' " said Liss Hart-Haviv, Executive Director, Take Root who was abducted by her mother when she was 10. "They're told the missing family member is dead or disinterested, which can take different forms - they didn't love you, they abandoned you. The third D is 'dangerous.' that can take a variety of different forms - they were abusive, prostitutes. .."

In an article by Josh Belzman MSNBC,
Family abduction takes bitter toll on victims
Advocates say children pay a high price when parents take flight

Why would the NCMEC suggest “…it's not unusual for children to be found after such a long period of time, especially if they were taken in a family abduction. Often the children are cared for and the family unit is kept together, he said…” ?

In the above article by Josh Belzman they state “…While some parents flee with children to escape abuse, most do not have their child’s best interests in mind, said Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children….”

Which is it?

On the rocks

This is another case of a family abduction where the child is found years later. What puzzles me is why you can find several stories on resolved family abductions and few stories where the same diligence is given to non family abductions.

“…Tips lead to girl taken in Tempe by dad in 1996
Jun. 23, 2006 12:00 AM
Cold case of the week: The Arizona Republic published an entry in 2005 about Rebecca Ann Braun, who had been missing since 1996. It spotlighted her as a missing child since she was 2 years old. It began, "Sex: Female. Race: White. Age now: 9. Height/weight: 2 feet 11 inches, 29 pounds at time of disappearance. Hair/eye color: Light brown/ blue..."

Read the story

All that and a bag of chips

In this recent article from Computerworld concerning technology, I am not sure if he is searching for GPS implants or RFID chips?

“…The technology to implant GPS tracking devices in humans certainly exists, as a simple Google search will affirm. But it doesn't appear to be actively marketed or readily available in product form for implanting in children so they can be quickly located if they're lost or abducted….”

“For anyone who finds that position unacceptable, I'll tell you what. Find me a parent with a missing child who wouldn't give anything to have had a GPS tracking device implanted in that child…”

If parents believed their child will go missing then I would agree with his statement. All of us would change decisions, habits, vices etc if we had the benefit of hindsight. The reality is most parents, don’t believe their child will become a victim of foul play or go missing.

Would you implant a GPS chip in your child or are you concerned with privacy issues?
The author points out that a simple Google search affirms the technology but I am not sure what his search criteria are. Most implant sites are for RFID chips containing information and not for GPS implants, which are not FDA approved for implanting into humans.

If you look at Amber Alert criteria, or law enforcement decisions to report a child missing, it does make you wonder when and who would activate the GPS tracking? If statistically the first few hours are critical to the recovery or in preventing harm to the child, then a determination to activate and track would need to be made quickly. The GPS system could assist in finding the child, but it doesn’t ensure the safety of the child as the child could be missing without the parent or guardian being aware.

Rocky Mountain high...(stats)

Last year, more than 14,000 children were reported missing in Colorado. It seemed like a very large number so I visited the Colorado Bureau of Investigations web site to see if they provided more detail. The site was very informative as it provided statistics every year since 1998.

If you view the Circumstances of Recovery table, it is somewhat confusing as it appears they recovered more children then were actually lost in 2005.

Farmhand charged in death of missing girl

It appears the only thing "routine" was the outcome. There was a tragic end to the search for the missing Pennsylvania girl, 12 year old Gabrielle Miranda Bechen.

Same old routine?

I was reading this article and with the FBI involved, seemed anything but routine. It made me curious when the various agencies are involved and when they are not. If you read this post this does not appear to be a routine practice.

DUNKARD TWP. - As the search for a missing 12-year-old Greene County girl continued Thursday, state police confirmed that the FBI has been called in to assist with the case, but said that their involvement is a fairly routine practice in such a search.

According to the article she went missing on Tuesday June 13th shortly after 8:00 a.m. There isn’t a time indicating when she was posted on the NCMEC site, but,“…The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) was alerted to Bechen's disappearance after police filed a formal missing child report.

Thursday, NCMEC was on site, police said.

As is procedure, the center disseminates information to newspaper and television stations when any child under the age of 18 is declared missing…”

“…Although "non-family abductions" are rare, information shows children abducted by strangers face a greater risk of injury or death.

Police did not speculate on Bechen's disappearance and would only say the case is under investigation. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children had Bechen listed as "missing" Wednesday.

"Until we have a definitive answer one way or another we will continue to search," Christy said Thursday…”

Deal or Unreal?

How will these scales of justice tip? I am trying to weigh this one and am totally confused how it may be ok for an 11 yr old girl to be with a 20 yr old man for four days. Is the issue really whether she should be considered "missing"? The Police Chief offers good advice but it seems the father knew who is daughter's "friends" are.

Missing Child reported

• Child 11 years old is reported missing by father to police.
• He names 20 yr old male as suspect.
• Police can’t find him.
• She returns four days later.
  

Police Chief Monte Sims concludes she left on her own free will:

• "She apparently returned home on her own,"
• "She was not being held against her will by anyone," Sims said. "Naturally, that was our biggest concern."
• “… to prevent cases of missing children, parents should know where their children are and who they are friends with…”
  
  "Parents should pay closer attention to their children, especially if they are befriended by an older person," Sims said. "In this case, it was an older person she left with."

Best of Both Worlds

The issue of family abductions and the NCMEC response to the previous posts remind me of this song by Van Halen?










“…I want the best of both worlds
And baby I know what it's worth
We can have have the best of both worlds a little
Heaven right here on earth
There's a picture in the gallery of a
Fallen angel looked alot like you
We forget where we come from sometimes
I had a dream it was really you…”

Is a family abduction a missing child only for budgeting and solicitation of funds? Are they part of the calculation and statistics published for the recovery percentage of 96%? Do they count if recovered but not while they are missing?

Play it again…..

“…And when two lovers woo
They still say, "I love you."
On that you can rely
No matter what the future brings As time goes by…

…It's still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die.
The world will always welcome lovers As time goes by….”

Maybe if he could have just kept the "family unit" intact for 5 more years.

By MARY ANN GREIER/Salem News staff writer
“…LISBON - A traffic stop in Washington, D.C., at 11 a.m. Thursday ended the search for two missing Lisbon children and their father, with the children safe and Joseph Leroy Moore in custody. "I'm glad the children are safe and sound," Columbiana County Sheriff David Smith said. A police officer apparently initiated a traffic stop on Interstate 295 and then learned about the warrant for Moore's arrest and the fact that the children were considered missing…”

Here's looking at you kids?

"...Larry Upchurch, director of operations for the missing children's division of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, said the tip on the location of the children came through the group's 24-hour hotline between Wednesday night and when they were recovered. The center notified police after receiving the tip.

Mr. Upchurch said it's not unusual for children to be found after such a long period of time, especially if they were taken in a family abduction. Often the children are cared for and the family unit is kept together, he said.


"That's why we always keep looking," he said..."

How is the family unit kept together if it is a family abduction?

Holy Toledo Batman...

I saw this article and was amazed that these children were found based on a tip called in after 7 years. Immediately I went to the NCMEC site to view information about them. Thinking there may be aged enhanced photos or some new technolgy used, imagine my suprise when I couldn't even find their posters.

"...Larry Upchurch, director of operations for the missing children's division of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, said the tip on the location of the children came through the group's 24-hour hotline between Wednesday night and when they were recovered.

Mr. Upchurch said one out of every six recoveries is a result of someone seeing the missing child on a poster. He is not sure if that was the case for the Martre children..."

I am thrilled these children were found but I would ask Mr Upchurch how would you recognize a child, based on a poster of a missing child taken 7 years earlier, not age enhanced, and evidently not posted on NCMEC?

Does NCMEC count these children statistically as recovered missing children in their stats? Do you think any of these children were one of the 100 million shoppers at a Walmart store each week these past seven years?

Ironically if you google any of the children's names it returns nothing either on the web or as an image?

Above the law?

There was an interesting story in the news about a 5’4’’ police officer arresting a 7’ tall drug suspect in Georgia. If he had been a sexual offender in Nebraska, would he be too tall to go to prison? Read story

The devil made me do it....

When visiting websites to educate yourself on the various products and services available to you to protect your children, do you often come away more confused then ever as to their objective? It is a classic example of a good news bad news scenario. The good news is there are many options. The bad news is there are many options. For every site offering legitimate, valuable tools, there are those that remind me of the old adage; “…If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, it must be a duck...”


Here comes the free advice. Ask yourself, when reviewing the site if you come away with a feeling their goal is to aid in the recovery of lost or missing children or are they out to make a quick buck? It is a good time to use common sense. Does it appear the main focus is on selling something and less on the child? I’ll resist the temptation to direct you to sites that may cause you to pause and reflect by publishing their URL’s. However, sites stressing your financial upside through direct marketing opportunities or how you can increase your personal wealth by becoming a franchisee probably would make the list. Like many other things in life, you’ll know it when you see it.

CBS Child Abduction Resources

Great information from CBS Cares website.


RESOURCES

"...The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is responsible for protecting and defending Americans as well as upholding and enforcing the criminal laws of the United States. To find out more about how they recommend protecting your child against abduction, visit: www.fbi.gov/kids/k5th/safety3.htm

The FBI recommends that parents should refer to the FBI publication "Parent's Guide to Internet Safety", which is available on our www.fbi.gov web site, to protect their children from Internet-related abductions.

The FBI officially recommends that the public refer to the www.ncmec.org for other abduction-prevention reading material.

The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist crime victims. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) is one of the five OJP component bureaus. For more information on the AMBER Alert program, visit www.amberalert.gov and for information on OJJDP's Child Protection Division, visit www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is a private, non-profit organization that provides assistance to families, law enforcement, and organizations to help find missing children, combat child sexual exploitation, and promote child victimization prevention education. For more information, visit www.missingkids.com

Special thanks to the FBI's Agent Fennerty and Public Affairs Specialist Michelle Goldschen, as well as Michele Laure, who was an important catalyst to this project! ..."

Missing Child Resources

The Missing Child Resources link is a list of some of the assistance available to you should your child go missing. It will periodically be updated, however please suggest any other sites.

What's love got to do with it?

NBC airs continuing stories of 12 year olds and adults. Why one is an alleged love story involving a convicted sex offender and the other involves the organization perverted justice?

http://www.perverted-justice.com/

Dateline NBC
(New) 06/02/2006 8:00 PM
Josh Mankiewicz interviews Mary Kay Letourneau and her onetime pupil Vili Fualaau, who talk about their headline-grabbing relationship---which began as an affair between a 34-year-old teacher and her 12-year-old student---and their subsequent marriage in 2005.

What is the difference between the Mugshots: of 50 men arrested after the latest installment of the "Dateline" report and Mary K, other then they haven’t been convicted yet.

By Chris Hansen
Correspondent
NBC News
Updated: 2:58 a.m. ET Feb 4, 2006
This report aired Dateline Friday, Feb. 3, 9 p.m. We want to warn you some of what you'll read is explicit. But parents need to know what their kids can confront when they sit down at the computer.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA - A month ago, Dateline launched its third investigation into a growing national epidemic—grown men trolling the Internet, many looking for sex with children. This time, to expose them, we set up multiple hidden cameras in a house in Southern California.

A decoy coaxes the men in, but instead of finding a 12- or 13-year-old home alone, the men looking for sex will meet me. …

Hurricane season officially starts

It is the official start of hurricane season. FEMA says they are ready and the levees will hold in New Orleans so time will tell. This is a link to the FEMA site for children explaining various natural disasters and what to do. There is some useful information but you would think there would be more emphasis on following evacuation orders versus riding it out. The story of the “Disaster Twins” , (Julia and Robbie), is interesting. What is confusing is what the father concludes on the family vacation to Florida.

FEMA Kids site

"If we lived here," their father said, "we would have storm shutters to protect our windows and we'd listen to the radio in case we had to evacuate. Hurricanes are dangerous, but we would get warning."

Isn't the issue one of heeding the warnings not that they aren’t given?

Helpful tips from a previous post for being prepared.

Missing Children: A Petition for Public Service

While viewing various missing children blogs, I ran across this request. It may have merit. It was ironic to me based on the recent negative press MySpace has received, that it was directed toward Myspace users. Also every link you click includes a partial page “ad” for the NPNowPublic site (see screenshot below). Non-the-less, it will be interesting to see how/if the concept evolves.

"..A family member has created this site for MySpace. I thought it looked like a great idea..."






http://view.nowpublic.com/

Stature or Statute of limitations?

Cheyenne County District Judge Kristine Cecava now suggests he is mentally challenged which was her concern. How simple it would be if you just could click on enlarge picture and it would make him the right height or mental capacity.

But Joe Mangano, secretary of the National Organization of Short Statured Adults, agreed with the judge's assessment that Thompson would face dangers while in prison because of his height. "I'm assuming a short inmate would have a much more difficult time than a large inmate," said Mangano, who is 5 feet 4 inches tall. "It's good to see somebody looking out for someone who is a short person."

One question which seems to be ignored is what if the victim is a short person?

Reaction:

“Recently, a 5' 1" Nebraska man was given 10 years probation instead of jail time for sexually assaulting a child. The judge was concerned for the man's safety in prison. I am personally appalled at the judge's decision. I have great sympathy for short people, especially short children, who are treated badly. Short children face bullying that far exceeds their due. However, when a person steps over the line, in this case far over the line, my sympathy ends. For his heinous crime against a child, this man should be in prison.

I also serve as a trustee of the National Organization of Short Statured Adults (NOSSA). One of our trustees, Joe Mangano, was quoted as supporting the judge's decision. This is not an official position of NOSSA. While I don't believe Mr. Mangano ever intended to support a child molester, his statement to the press was imprudent and he has been removed from the organization. “

Steven B. Goldsmith
Editor, Short Persons Support

http://shortsupport.org/index.html

Clean up on aisle 5

Something else that doesn't add up is trying to reconcile the multiple statistics often quoted concerning missing children. The intent is not to question the contribution but merely to understand the effectiveness of the effort. Sometimes I feel like a dunce, sometimes I don't.

Wal-Mart and SAM’S Club

“As a part of our commitment to keeping kids safe, the Missing Children’s Network was formed through a partnership between Wal-Mart, SAM'S CLUB and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Wal-Mart's Missing Children's Network consists of a bulletin board in every Wal-Mart Store and SAM'S CLUB nationwide. Each bulletin board contains 17 posters of missing children, along with relevant personal information, and is updated monthly. The visibility of the Missing Children's Network bulletin boards and pictures featured on Wal-Mart Television Network permeates big cities and small towns in every corner of the country providing tremendous exposure .To date, photos of over 7,200 children have been displayed. 5,763 of these have been recovered and 143 recoveries resulted directly from one of our boards”.

http://www.missingkids.com

What Wal-Mart Does to Help Find Missing Children.
(See previous post) http://www.walmartfoundation.org

Simple math?

Partnership began in 1996 so it is now 10 years old.
Each bulletin board contains 17 posters updated monthly
To date, photos of over 7,200 children have been displayed

17 posters x 12 months = 204 postings/yr
(assumes new missing children posted each month)

204 postings/yr= 2,040 over ten years.

So is the 7,200 number understated or overstated? Are the updates more frequent?

Here or to go?

As I thought about the McDonald’s articles, it occurred to me McDonald’s are in most Wal-Mart stores (at least the ones I have shopped in). So you may be asking ...“What Wal-Mart Does to Help Find Missing Children.” Here is the answer.

http://www.walmartfacts.com/community/walmart-foundation.aspx#a1294

"...Since 1996, Wal-Mart has posted pictures of missing children in the lobbies of all of our facilities. The display boards have featured more than 7,104 children, more than 5,568 of whom have been recovered. From this number, 141 children have been recovered as a direct result of our bulletin boards.

It is a parent's worst nightmare. Yet, thousands of children are reported missing in the U.S. every day. In stores and clubs across the country, Wal-Mart and SAM'S CLUB are proud to be a part of bringing these children home. As a part of our commitment to keeping kids safe, the Missing Children’s Network was formed through a partnership between Wal-Mart, SAM'S CLUB and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). .."



Wouldn’t you think the number would be higher? Either the display boards would appear not to be as effective as they could be or the average Wal-Mart shopper is apathetic toward missing children or both.

100 million: The number of people who shop at Wal-Mart's 3400 American stores every week.

You deserve a break today....

Interesting story from Nashville, Tn concerning some local Fast Food restaurants. Should there be a policy or law requiring a background check? Most big box retailers will run them to make sure you haven't been convicted of theft.

NewsChannel 5 Investigates: Hiring Sex Offenders

McDonald’s reacts to NewsChannel 5’s investigation and pledges to strengthen its hiring practices to keep out sexual predators.

Read the company’s latest statement here

Part 1: Fast Food restaraunt Restaurants Hire Child Molesters, Sex Offenders
Part 2: Advocate Calls for Boycott, Sex Offender Says Fast Food restaraunt Knew
Part 3: Fast Food restaraunt Manager Molests Kids, Gets Promoted
Part 4: Fast Food restaraunt Misses Sex Offender's Troubled History
Part 5: Fast Food restaraunt Beefs Up Policies to Keep Out Predators

I wonder how tall his victims were?

May 25, 7:23 AM EDT
Judge: Man is too short for prison

Recently released Associated Press story concerning a sex offender in Sydney Nebraska.

Click on post title for full story

May 25th - National Missing Children's Day

Proclaimed National Missing Children’s Day by President Ronald Reagan in 1983, May 25th serves as an annual reminder to make child protection a national priority.

Please take a few minutes to view the currently missing children at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children site http://www.missingkids.com

Home Sweet Home

Does your home have a fenced yard? Do your doors have multiple locks? Do you have an alarm system? Do you have bars on the windows? Is there a neighborhood watch group? Do you live in a gated community? Is there a security guard? Just as each of these have a role in protecting you and your home, all of the myriad of child identification tools may assist in the recovery and identification of missing children.

When you evaluate which of the various missing child tools you should have, it often can becomevery confusing. Do you need a Child ID card, a Child ID Kit, and a Web based Registry for your children? Depending on the site you visit, each may present their offering as a competing solution. Are they really? Maybe it would be better to look at them as complementary rather then competing.

If you or your children do not travel, more then a few miles from home, then a Child ID Kit or card either cd, pc or paper based offering may serve your needs. If you are organized and can find things especially under extreme duress then they may make sense as well. Yes it will take time to upload the information for web based distribution, but as long as the information is readily available it can be retrieved.

However, do you travel even across town, where returning home would require time? Do you live in an area subject to natural disasters where an evacuation or property destruction may limit access? Have you moved to a new city or town, where every area is new to you or your family? If you answered yes to any of these, then a Web based Registry provides greater value as the information will be available to you under each of those circumstances. Since the first few minutes can significantly impact the recovery efforts, having the right tool available at the right time is critical.

Hurricane Center Predicts Calmer Season

By LAURA WIDES-MUNOZ, Associated Press Writer

MIAMI - A hectic, above-normal tropical storm season could produce between four and six major hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico this year, but conditions don't appear ripe for a repeat of 2005's record activity, the National Hurricane Center predicted Monday.

There will be up to 16 named storms, the center predicted, which would be significantly less than last year's record 27. Still, people in coastal regions should prepare for the possibility of major storms, said Max Mayfield, the National Hurricane Center director.

"One hurricane hitting where you live is enough to make it a bad season," Mayfield told reporters.

Last year, officials predicted 12 to 15 tropical storms, seven to nine of them becoming hurricanes, and three to five of those hurricanes being major, with winds of at least 111 mph.

But the season turned out to be much busier, breaking records that had stood since 1851. Last season there were 15 hurricanes, seven of which were Category 3 or higher.

In the center's detailed 2006 prediction report, meteorologists said water in the Atlantic is not as warm as it was at this stage in 2005. Warm water is a key fuel for hurricane development.

Also, it is not clear whether atmospheric conditions that helped produce the 2005 storms will repeat again this year, forecasters said. And, it appears that the Pacific Ocean water conditions known as El Nino and La Nina will not have any impact on the Atlantic hurricane season this year, forecasters said.

The Atlantic seasons were relatively mild from the 1970s through 1994. Since then, all but two years have been above normal. Experts say the world is in the midst of a 20-year-cycle that will continue to bring strong storms.

Between 1995 and 2005, the Atlantic season has averaged 15 named storms, just over eight named hurricanes and four major hurricanes, according to the National Hurricane Center. Before this latest above-normal cycle, from 1971 to 1994, there were an average of 8.5 named storms, five hurricanes and just over one major hurricane.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

June 1st...the start of hurricane season

It is now ten days until the start of hurricane season. Check out the NCMEC spring 2006 quarterly newsletter "The Front Line". The page 4 article, Safety Tips for Families in Hurricane Preparation, is very informative and provides some practical ideas for any natural disaster preparation plans.

"...Just as people secure their homes and belongings before a storm hits, NCMEC urges parents and guardians to take steps to protect their children and to keep their families together. To prepare for hurricane season and other natural disasters,
NCMEC recommends that:

1. families take storm warnings and evacuation orders seriously;

2. parents/guardians know where their children are;

3. families stay together;

4. families take photos with them if they are evacuated;

5. parents/guardians give children identification to
carry with them (name, date of birth, address, phone numbers); for children who are not able to speak for themselves, parents/guardians should consider writing children’s names, birthdates, parents’ names, home address, and telephone/cell number somewhere on the child’s body in indelible or permanent marker, which can be removed with rubbing alcohol after the emergency;

6. families take digital photos and email them to extended family members;

7. parents/guardians make photocopies of important documents and mail them to a friend or relative in a safe location; and

8. families create plans for what to do if they become
separated during an evacuation..."

For further information, please call the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-THE-LOST or log onto our website at: www.missingkids.com.

Consider the value of having the information available to you wherever you are and whenever it is needed.

What Does NCMEC Recommend for...?

Are you aware of the difference between recovery and identification tools for missing children? Many parents or guardians would be suprised to learn they may have all the identification information available but without current photos with updated descriptions of their child, they may be delaying the recovery process.

The following is from the NCMEC spring 2005 newsletter "The Frontline".

"...It Is a good time to answer some of the questions we are often asked. In our continuing efforts to provide useful information to parents, guardians, and other family members, we’ve singled out some of the common areas of interest regarding a number of topics.

Photo Identification (ID). Families should have a current photograph of their children, and these photographs can often be obtained free-of-charge or for a nominal fee from a number of sources. Parents and guardians should make sure the photograph is a full-face shot, is in color, and captures the way their children really look. Photographs should be taken at least every six months and kept in a safe and readily accessible place. Not only should parents or guardians have a photograph of their children, they should also have a written description. The description should include hair color; eye color; weight; height; date of birth; and any other unique physical attributes such as eyeglasses, braces, or piercings.

Dentition. Dental X-rays, professional dental charting, and bite impressions (tooth prints)are all useful in making identifications but will in no way find a missing child. Parents and guardians should update dental charts every 2 years until children are 18. Dentition may last for many years and can withstand elements such as fire. Parents and guardians can have bite impressions made using Styrofoam® (egg cartons) but should have a person trained by dental professionals take the impression. Please check with your family dentist to determine if this service is offered. This sample should also be stored in a safe and readily accessible place.

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA). DNA is a key element of what families need to have on hand for their children’s identification and, like fingerprints, will not help find a missing child but is used to identify someone. DNA has become the “gold standard” for all identification matters. NCMEC strongly encourages parents and guardians to take a DNA sample of their children as a precautionary measure in case their children may one day become missing. No one should store DNA except parents and guardians.

Fingerprints. If fingerprints are to be used for identification, they should be taken by a trained professional to help ensure they are properly taken and recorded on a paper stock that will be usable for loading in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Crime Information Center’s computer if a child should become missing.All of these methods of identification can be taken and stored at little or no cost.Retailers, supermarket chains, and other companies often provide opportunities for parents and guardians to have one or more of these identification tools taken for their children. Only parents or guardians should store these items or test results of their children.

Medical Reports. Families should know where their children’s medical records are located. Medical records such as X-rays, permanent scars, blemishes, birthmarks, or broken bones can be helpful in identifying a recovered child. Ask your family doctor if those records can be easily accessed if needed.

Child Safety. Effective child-safety programs are ones children will enjoy and
understand and change children's behavior to help keep them safer. A fundamental premise of prevention education is that children with self-confidence, grounded in safety competence and high self-esteem, are less vulnerable targets for victimization..."

For more information about these and other
safety topics in specific situations, please contact
NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678)
or visit www.missingkids.com