Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Devlin Kidnapping

I suppose you guys have heard about the boys that were found in some creep's home in St. Louis today.......it seems really strange to me.

One of the boys found was only missing for a few days, which is what led the police to find another boy in the same residence that has been missing for 4 and a half years.

Most of the articles I found online were the same "associated press" article. But I did fin this one that I found rather interesting, and a little disturbing.

http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/206920/

The article mentions a friend of Shawn's (the boy missing for 4 yrs) talking about getting stopped by the cops for being out past curfew recently. First of all, did Shawn tell his friend his real name?? Did his friend have any idea he had been kidnapped, and was away from his real family. The boy was only 11 years old when he came up missing, so I find it hard to believe he was a runaway. Also, on another occasion, Sshawn was asked for his name and he said "Shawn Devlin," which is the last name of the creep who had kidnapped him.

Don't you think it's strange that the kid has had freedom to get out and ride his bike, has been giving a false name...that name belonging to his kidnapper, and never made any attempt when he was out all these nights after curfew but didn't seek help from police or make any phone calls.

He was quoted as saying he felt like he had bruises from being hugged so much from his family since his return. That statement makes total sense....but why, if he is happy to be back home now, why wouldn't he have tried to escape when he had the chance....I'm so confused......what do you guys think??

There's also an unsolved kidnapping near the same area from 1991....I wonder if they'll find that this is related somehow....this world is full of scary, crazy people!!!!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know. Well, from what little I've heard (it's on Oprah today, so I'll know more later) he was BLOGGING! And it sounded like he found his family's blog? And he typed something on it like, "are you still searching for your son" or "how much longer will you search for your son."

The other thing I heard is that this happens with alot of kidnapping victims. The ones that are kept alive anyway. They are forced to take on another life and eventually it's like they believe they're a different person. Something like that. It's some kind of psychological phenomenon the experts have noted in past cases like Elizabeth Smart.

alli-gal said...

Let me know what happens on Oprah!!!

Andrea said...

Yep, Stockholm Syndrome I've heard it called. I heard about some lady who was held hostage at a bank for several hours, actually tried to protect the bank robbers as they were leaving the building and continued a relationship with one of them for several years while he was in jail! And she was only held captive for a few hours!

None of us can understand this stuff because thankfully we've never been through something so traumatic. Our minds have these mechanisms that protect us and make the unbearable bearable. Thank God for it, but it's impossible to understand.

I'm still curious though. This kid was alone for several months while Devlin recovered from surgery at his mothers! How did he get food? What threats were made to him? Why would he torture his family by blogging "are you ever going to quit looking for your son?" Maybe he had accepted his fate at that point? I'm here, it's been years and no one has found me so I guess this is my life?

Heck I can't explain it!

*Jen* said...

I'm totally baffled too. Plus, I'm curious to find out about this other missing kid from 1991.

I am going to check out Oprah today too! We have a tv back in our classroom and I am going to have to make an excuse to work back there. When my director finds me watching Oprah, she will probably join me b/c she has been talking about the kidnapping here at work. She is very interested.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I feel so bad for that boy...both of them.

Did you see Oprah? They didn't have alot of new info because they're letting the boys tell them what happened in their own time. They've already been through enough trauma. Poor kids.

He did say something to the effect of he was terrified to call/contact his family because of the threats made to him and his family.

Did you catch that someone actually asked him if he was the Shaun that was missing and he said no? If only that person that suspected it had gone with their hunch and called the police...

Thank God those boys are back home now safe.

I bet this Devlin is responsible for the 1991 case too. I hate to think what he put those kids through.

alli-gal said...

I didn't get to see any of that, but I have been checking the news online. I read that this guy is pleading not guilty to the kidnapping of these kids. NOT GUILTY???!!! Are you kidding me??? The kids were found in IN HIS house...what more proof do we need? that's so sad.........

enN2sp said...

God help these boys and their families. They are going to need it.

With going to court and testifying
In front of this Devlin dude.

I'm glad for their mom's, they are relieved that they are now HOME.
I would hate to go through that. Would NOT wish it anyone.