GUILTY MI - Ricky Holland, 7, Williamston, 1 July 2005

[RPPaolin]

I am praying this little boy is found safe.

 

[mysteriew]

In a strange chain of events, a couple's argument inadvertently touched off a massive search for a missing boy and led to the discovery of the decomposed body of an adult hidden in a thicket.

http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/news-30/1121525403216830.xml

Joanne Putman lives just up the street from the Hollands. She says the family moved in on the first of May and mostly keep to themselves. She's never even seen Ricky outside playing, but she knows he has run away a few times - he was found once in her neighbor's kitchen.

"In talking with family, he asked for someone to cook him some eggs. The sheriff came and took him home. A few days later he was in another neighbors home asking for a peanut butter sandwich," Putman said.

That second time, Putman says, Ricky had a bag with him full of clothes and asked his neighbor if he could live with them.

http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3603073&nav=0RcecDpo

 

[Jovin]

........."In talking with family, he asked for someone to cook him some eggs. The sheriff came and took him home. A few days later he was in another neighbors home asking for a peanut butter sandwich," Putman said.

That second time, Putman says, Ricky had a bag with him full of clothes and asked his neighbor if he could live with them.

http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3603073&nav=0RcecDpo

This is such a sad case....what is wrong in that home that would cause this child to run and to beg for food at a neighbour's and ultimately want to live with them...complete strangers, most likely. This is a sad case that should have been reported to authorities at that time. It's not natural for a child to do things like this unless they're extremely unhappy in the home atmosphere.

This needs further investigation, that's for sure, and I hope it's not too late for this poor little boy. God bless him.

 

[Sheromom]

It's a strange case; that's for sure. Some children with SEVERE ADHD, as he has been labeled, can be very difficult to manage. They think of something and DO it without any concern for the consequences. I worked with a kindergarten boy with severe ADHD. It was a difficult year for everyone in that class! The boy would disappear and we would have to search for him. Sometimes he even escaped the room. He ate chalk and crayons and was so dangerous that we couldn't let him use scissors. Not that I'm making an excuse for the family but it may be that the boy was uncontrollable; from long before this family even had him. After that one year, I really don't think I could handle a child with severe ADHD. They can be very scary. I pray this little guy is safe somewhere and gets the help he needs!

 

[Linda7NJ]

This is such a sad case....what is wrong in that home that would cause this child to run and to beg for food at a neighbour's and ultimately want to live with them...complete strangers, most likely. This is a sad case that should have been reported to authorities at that time. It's not natural for a child to do things like this unless they're extremely unhappy in the home atmosphere.

This needs further investigation, that's for sure, and I hope it's not too late for this poor little boy. God bless him.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v676/Jovin43/JesuslovesthechildrenJovin-vi.gif

Many children in abusive homes, removed and later adopted have isssues like hoarding food, running away and bonding issues. Many will ask teachers, coaches, neighbors if they can move in with them.

I do hope they find him, quick!

 

[dannyodie]

have the police used a scent tracking dog, I know there was a search of the area, but did they ever use a dog? if not, they still could use one, a dog will be able to smell a scent in grassy areas for months, the scent is not useally good for very long on asphalt pavement. I wonder if maybe a neighbor could be holding onto him? but the worse case is that he may have gotten into a car with someone that could have stopped after seeing him up and down the road. or the foster parents may have done something with him since he was a child that was hard to deal with.

 

[Sheromom]

The bad deal is, he may well have ASKED someone to take him; to feed him, etc.. I haven't heard of any dogs being used. The dad's statement about "trusting" him seemed odd to me. Then again, I guess that was an ongoing issue in the home. Just wish they would find him.

 

[irishlass]

have the police used a scent tracking dog, I know there was a search of the area, but did they ever use a dog? if not, they still could use one, a dog will be able to smell a scent in grassy areas for months, the scent is not useally good for very long on asphalt pavement. I wonder if maybe a neighbor could be holding onto him? but the worse case is that he may have gotten into a car with someone that could have stopped after seeing him up and down the road. or the foster parents may have done something with him since he was a child that was hard to deal with.

"Police have searched for Ricky using bloodhounds, helicopters and community volunteers. All they found was a soccer ball and a trail of candy wrappers."

http://www.americasmostwanted.com/missing_children/case.cfm?id=33109


I think somewhere they said there are 69 registered sex affenders in his area. They have a current picture of him on the front page now.

http://www.americasmostwanted.com/missing_children/brief.cfm?id=33109

 

[Sam]

No news on Ricky yet, but more information about body found.

http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3612166

 

[mysteriew]

The search for 7-year-old Ricky Holland has gone national.

Millions of television viewers saw the missing Williamston boy on a Saturday "America's Most Wanted" telecast, garnering three tips - including one from southern Illinois - for Ingham County law enforcers.
While investigators were pursuing tips from the Flint and Lansing areas, the one from Wood River, Ill., was a dead end.

Jenkins said the aiding Wood River, Ill., police agency talked to the person who reported seeing a boy matching Ricky's description about 1:45 p.m. Saturday at a local Auto Zone store.

The little boy seemed to be an adult male's willing companion, and the store didn't have an in-house camera to record their interaction, Wood River police reported.

"There's really nothing else we can go on," Jenkins said. "It's pretty much a dead end."

According to Joy, someone reported seeing a boy fitting Ricky's description recently riding in a pickup near a Flint area mall. And investigators still are trying to talk to a Lansing area tipster who left a message for investigators.

By Sunday evening, a child's shoes reported found at a Clinton County rest area over the weekend also were ruled out as a lead.

http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050718/NEWS01/507180337/1002/opinion

 

[Bobbisangel]

It is hard to imagine that this little boy is still out there by himself unless something awful happened to him. If he was going to the homes of people along his way someone would have called LE. If a little boy came to my house and asked for something to eat I would fix him something to eat and while he was eating I would call LE. You would have to know that something was wrong.

I wonder if he ever talked about finding his bio mother? He may have went looking for her not even knowing where she is. Just a thought. This poor little kid is also Bi-Polar. Just from talking to another mother who has a young girl that is bi-polar they can really be a handful. I can't imagine this little guy out there with no meds. I sure wish he would be found. This is not looking good.

 

[blueclouds]

No updates? anyone hear anything further? I keep thinking about this little man.

 

[Sam]

Nearly 1 month into the search for 7-year-old Ricky Holland,authorities say they still have few clues into the Williamston boy's disappearance. The Ingham County Sheriff's Department is scaling back resources and getting few new leads, b ut they say they're still hopeful someone will come forward with information that will jump start this case. After a 2-week search of the fields near Ricky's home,officials now say he may be far from Williamson.

Vicki Harrison, Ingham County Sheriff's Chief Deputy: "A s time goes along, and we don't find him in that area, it leads you to believe he's not in that area."

That means the search area is constantly expanding, b ut as that search branches out,little information is coming in.

Vicki Harrison: "We're not getting new leads from outside the state. That's died down."

Without new leads, the sheriff's department has scaled back resources. Detectives are still following up on tips from the public. They've also re-interviewed the family,and now they are re-checking with sex offenders in the area as well.

Vicki Harrison: "When you're talking about an investigation of this magnitude, you just want to go back and recheck some of those things."

And while so far the large number of leads have produced little results, t he sheriff's department says they are still asking for the public's help.

Vicki Harrison: "Give us 1,000 of them, it will be that 1,001st that leads us to him."

Ricky is 3-foot5 with blonde hair and blue eyes. He was last seen the night of July 1st. Anyone with any information should call the Sheriff's Department at 517-676-8211. There is a $5,000 reward in the case.
http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=3653703

 

[gagesmom314]

Any new news? I have thought of this child often.

 

[mysteriew]

Though a formal search has ended, the Hollands want folks to know their help is still needed, and until they know their son is safe for sure, the Hollands offer this earnest plea, "Ricky, if you see this, just please come home."

The Holland family is offering $2,500 of their own dollars in addition to the $5,000 dollar reward being offered.
http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=3667408

 

[reb]

sooooooooooooooooooo...

have they actually done a full search of the homes of the 50 (or 100, or 500, or whatever it was) sex offenders who are residing comfortably in the area? (*DUH!!*)

bet they'll find a clue or 2 if they do that.
then again, they probably don't want to infringe upon their "god-given right to privacy" or anything.

 

[lostfaith]

I find it very hard to believe that a seven year old could make it on his own for 31 days, a week, maybe, but NOT 31 days! So, either he did run away, but now something else has befallen him, like an injury in the woods, or someone bad found him first. Or, there is a adult helping him, like family memebers on his birth mom and dad's side. LE does not seem to be focusing on the foster family, I am sure that was the first thing they did, so I am assuming they feel confident the foster family is not involved. Seven is just too young to be THAT resourceful!

 

[irishlass]

I agree with you, lostfaith, this has been way too long, something has happened to this poor little boy. I can't believe he is still in the area.

 

[Bobbisangel]

sooooooooooooooooooo...

have they actually done a full search of the homes of the 50 (or 100, or 500, or whatever it was) sex offenders who are residing comfortably in the area? (*DUH!!*)

bet they'll find a clue or 2 if they do that.
then again, they probably don't want to infringe upon their "god-given right to privacy" or anything.

There should be a law that LE can walk into a registered sex offenders home or any home in which they are staying at any time. After Jessie Lunsford it only makes sense to me. If the cops had only gone in and checked that mobile out Jesse would still be with her daddy. I think registered sex offenders should lose every right they ever had when they first lay a hand on a child.

This little guy didn't just vanish into thin air. Something awful must have happened to him. He's to young to know how to survive out there on his own.
I hope he is found so that his parents can find some peace.

 

[kimberdawn]

Any updates on Ricky?