OR - Kyron Horman, 7 yo Second grader, Portland, 4 June 2010 - Part #2

[CharlestonGal]

I just read about this after seeing a link on Twitter. My question is why didn't the school make a phone call telling the parents that the child never showed up? I know at the school here if a student is absent they call at home to ask why the kid is not there.

Skyline doesn't use that procedure. They said they didn't have attendance problems.

 

[STEADFAST]

They arrived sometime after the school opened about 8 a.m., went to his classroom, dropped off his coat and backpack and he showed his stepmother his exhibit, "The Red-Eyed Tree Frog."
So he dropped off his coat and backpack in his classroom and the teacher didn't see the items were there and he hadn't shown up for the class?

Good point. His coat and backpack were there all day. That should have raised some big questions in his teacher's mind.

 

[yosande]

I agree! I've been asking about cameras at our school for a long time! My son, who has Asperger's, was bullied in middle school horribly and they kept saying that they couldn't "prove it". But that's for another forum.

Back to here...

The State of Oregon just announced last month that they have a HUGE SHORTFALL of funds and are cutting back on all government programs, including our schools. I fear it will get worse before it gets better. I've even heard that some districts are considering cutting back to 4 days a week.

O/T, in our town in Oregon, it's already a half day on Wednesdays for grade school kids, so a 4 day week wouldn't be stretch from that, and since bus fuel is such a huge cost, a half day once a week should be changed to a whole day or a no day.
The middle schools have a half day two Wednesdays a month, and high school is the last Wednesday a half day. So, imo, they've been going in the 4 day direction for awhile now, and the economy is a good excuse to move forward in that direction.
jmo

 

[Snoopster]

June 6th news conference at link.

(Top, right)

http://www.kptv.com/kyron-horman/index.html

I know that others have seen and commented on this press conference but it the first time I've watched it. I find it very telling. Several times the Sheriff indicates that information they have obtained is fairly consistent and is helping them narrow down their focus greatly. They have eliminated many potential directions. From their tone and comments, and reading between the lines, they don't seem concerned about a predator on the loose.

 

[annalyzer]

June 6th news conference at link.

(Top, right)

http://www.kptv.com/kyron-horman/index.html

thank you

 

[KaylynnCouture]

Good point. His coat and backpack were there all day. That should have raised some big questions in his teacher's mind.

I'm incredibly upset at how the school handled this..

 

[pinkpuddytat]

snipped for space.


I just asked my husband if he thinks school should be in session tomorrow, with it being the place Kyron was last seen - and he said yes, if they have ruled out stranger/staff abduction and are focusing on it being a family abduction specifically targeting Kyron. I think since school is in session tomorrow - they MUST have some idea of who it was or what happened.

I'm not surprised they're having school, but I don't think it means they know what happened. Maintaining a sense of normalcy is important for children who've had something like this happen in their little world. Plus, many families don't have a stay-at-home parent, and would have a really hard time finding a caretaker for their child(ren) on a weekday/daytime on short notice. And that would lead to a lot of makeshift, less than ideal arrangements -- in a town where a 7 year old just disappeared and may have been abducted by *anybody* (including possible fill-in caretakers).

Also, I'm assuming investigators will be at the school Monday (though probably in a low-key way), and we know that special counselors will be there. I expect investigators will have briefed the counselors on things to look for that might provide a clue as to Kyron's whereabouts. It will be a good thing to have all his little friends, and some of the older kids (one of whom might have done something to him) there and under observation. Some kid may have been told "don't tell" by Kyron or by somebody who took Kyron, and will start shows signs of nervously keeping a secret. Or an older kid may be trying -- and failing - to act nonchalant about the whole thing, when in fact he knows exactly what happened because he did it. Or a child may have previously experienced inappropriate contact from a school employee and never told, and just be starting to show signs of wondering if he should tell, because he's just starting to realize that there could possibly be a connection between his experience and Kyron's disappearance.

And lastly, there is only one school in the whole world that I'm 100% sure no child is going to disappear from tomorrow, and that's this elementary school. *Every* adult will watching the children like hawks, taking attendance and headcounts obsessively, etc, *and* there will surely be at least a couple of investigators on the premises all day, watching every adult closely, making sure every adult that comes anywhere near the school/children is identified, etc.

 

[CharlestonGal]

They arrived sometime after the school opened about 8 a.m., went to his classroom, dropped off his coat and backpack and he showed his stepmother his exhibit, "The Red-Eyed Tree Frog."
So he dropped off his coat and backpack in his classroom and the teacher didn't see the items were there and he hadn't shown up for the class?

I wanted to add,that pretty much nixes him going off on an adventure,he would have kept his backpack with him.IMO

I haven't seen any statements as to whether or not Kyron's belongings were still in the classroom at the start of class or at the end of the day; only that they were placed there in the morning. It's another missing piece of information. I don't know where his belongings are now.

 

[yosande]

Good point. His coat and backpack were there all day. That should have raised some big questions in his teacher's mind.

Link please. I haven't seen this reported by media or LE. tia

 

[sleuthy sleutherson]

Anyone can start a Facebook page. Knowing how distraught and in trauma and shock the family must be, it would be a wonderful thing if someone would start one, so they'd have one less thing to worry about. Perhaps even someone on here could do it.

I don't do FB or MS or I wouldn't mind. I would assume someone within the family or close to the family would do this as they would have more detailed info to include.

 

[STEADFAST]

I haven't seen any statements as to whether or not Kyron's belongings were still in the classroom at the start of class or at the end of the day; only that they were placed there in the morning. It's another missing piece of information. I don't know where his belongings are now.

Gates would not comment on statements by a family member and others that Kyron's backpack and coat were found in his second-floor classroom.

Publicly sharing that kind of detail taints an investigation, Gates said, declining to answer other specific questions. http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/06/search_for_missing_portland_bo.html

Looks like the backpack info came from family and "others" not LE. Interesting to me that his class is on the second floor, because I'd been picturing him being left somewhere that would be relatively near to an outside entrance.

 

[BeanE]

They arrived sometime after the school opened about 8 a.m., went to his classroom, dropped off his coat and backpack and he showed his stepmother his exhibit, "The Red-Eyed Tree Frog."

So he dropped off his coat and backpack in his classroom and the teacher didn't see the items were there and he hadn't shown up for the class?

Good point. I am so upset with how lax this school is. So many points at which he could have been determined to be missing much, much earlier but wasn't.

Darned if my kid would be going to school there tomorrow.

 

[cluciano63]

I still have not seen a link about the talent show and his plans to be in it, as well as whether his items were in the school room all day...

While there is lots of anger here about the school and its laxness...which may be justified...what if it turns out someone saw stepmother leaving with Kyron? I'm not saying that happened, but if it did, I could understand their lack of follow-up. Also, if there is any truth to the rumor about a possible appointment being mentioned. Neither of these scenarios are proven but at this point, we don't know for sure that the school was totally lax, if a bit casual.

I probably will end up monitoring this thread all night as I have not been sleeping anyway due to health issues...but I don't think we will learn anything tonight. Not sure if they are searching 24 hours tonight, and unless someone confesses or is arrested, I think it is unlikely there will be news tonight. If he was taken and then left in the vicinity or if he wandered off, sadly he appears to be well-hidden.

And as far as safety, I agree, that school is probably the safest place for any child tomorrow anyway...

 

[BeanE]

Has anyone seen Kyron's father? Maybe at a press conference? Parents usually attend those, even if they do not speak. Do the SM or bio-mom attend?

Sometimes LE tells the family not to attend press conferences. Not to speak with media. Not to say certain things. Particularly in the very early stages before LE knows exactly what's up.

Additionally, sometimes the family is too upset to attend, or doesn't want the very serious situation turned into a circus.

 

[tarabull]

This is most likely because Kyron does not have a Facebook account. When you tag someone on Facebook, it links back to their account if they have one. If they do not have one, it just lists whatever you put, which in this case is his first name. Not unusual at all, IMO.

Tag's are neither here nor there in terms of the point the poster raised...

True Kyron does not have a FB account, but neither does her daughter whom TM labels in photos - with BOTH her first and last name.

just saying - Kyron's last name was never used - IIRC, THAT is the hinky point the original poster was making.

 

[maggieo]

They arrived sometime after the school opened about 8 a.m., went to his classroom, dropped off his coat and backpack and he showed his stepmother his exhibit, "The Red-Eyed Tree Frog."
So he dropped off his coat and backpack in his classroom and the teacher didn't see the items were there and he hadn't shown up for the class?

I wanted to add,that pretty much nixes him going off on an adventure,he would have kept his backpack with him.IMO

Not to defend the school, because I think it's obvious the school has some security issues, but I used to be a teacher. If I saw a kid with his mother at an event in the morning, and then he was gone, I would assume his mother took him home. It was a Friday, and I'd think, huh, must be going on a trip, wanted to be there for the science fair, but had to take off.

I would mark him absent, of course. But since the last time I saw him was *with a parent,* I wouldn't be overly worried. Those are the kids you DON'T worry about! His backpack and coat in the coat room? Even if I recognized them as his, it wouldn't necessarily worry me. Every single day, children left backpacks and jackets and lunch boxes in the coat room. They're second graders!

Elementary schools are really justifiably paranoid and are quite good when the days are normal. But when something is unusual, the usual systems fall apart. I've gone to lunchtime plays at my son's school -- no one signs in! Normally everyone signs in and wears a lanyard. But they don't have a good system in place for events like science fairs and concerts.

Hopefully this will be a wakeup call for schools everywhere to figure out a good system for tracking people at these events, too.

 

[RubyRed]

These questions have been asked before, but I just want to bring them up again.

I would really like to understand why the teacher assumed Kyron left with his step mother rather than continuing out the school day. What would make the teacher assume he left with her? The rumor about the step mom telling teacher he had an appt. would fit. There has to be some reason for them to think he had left with her and not find it unusual. LE should check into any upcoming appts, and when they were scheduled.

Also, if he truly was expected to be in the talent show - why would step mom not return at that time to watch him in it? And why would staff not be concerned at that time that Kyron was not there?

That is just something in the comment of an article. I am going to wait until it is a fact from LE.

It is not unusual for a Mom to not be able to attend everything. That is just part of life.

Teachers are use to children that do not show up for special events and they thought he went with SM. So they adapted and the talent show went on. It happens quite a bit where a child is supposed to be in a concert or something similar and they are a no show.

 

[mommy_xox]

Ugh - I wish we had more information regarding the school! :waitasec:

What are their policies for checking children out of school? I know with my DD's school, the only way to gain access 'inside' the school is through the office. Everyone must sign in when visiting, sign out when their visit is over, and also sign in/out their children.

Did anyone at the school see Kryon talking to another adult, other than his stepmom?

Does the school have cameras?

What are the school's policies, as far as people wanting to volunteer?


I'm not sure if a creeper would just walk through the school, and walk out with a child. There's too much risk. Unless it was a family member, then it wouldn't look that strange I guess..


I'm disappointed in the school with not calling when Kyron was not seen in class and marked absent. When my DD transfered schools, we received an automated telephone call saying she wasn't in school. Well, obviously not because she was in a new school, lol. However, his parent's assumed everything was fine and he was in school, which is so sad. If a call was made, a search could have started so much sooner..

 

[BeanE]

I don't do FB or MS or I wouldn't mind. I would assume someone within the family or close to the family would do this as they would have more detailed info to include.

Yes, I know what you're saying, but the family and close friends are quite upset right now, you know? That's when people like you and me can jump in and do something to help.

 

[RubyRed]

I'm not surprised they're having school, but I don't think it means they know what happened. Maintaining a sense of normalcy is important for children who've had something like this happen in their little world. Plus, many families don't have a stay-at-home parent, and would have a really hard time finding a caretaker for their child(ren) on a weekday/daytime on short notice. And that would lead to a lot of makeshift, less than ideal arrangements -- in a town where a 7 year old just disappeared and may have been abducted by *anybody* (including possible fill-in caretakers).

Also, I'm assuming investigators will be at the school Monday (though probably in a low-key way), and we know that special counselors will be there. I expect investigators will have briefed the counselors on things to look for that might provide a clue as to Kyron's whereabouts. It will be a good thing to have all his little friends, and some of the older kids (one of whom might have done something to him) there and under observation. Some kid may have been told "don't tell" by Kyron or by somebody who took Kyron, and will start shows signs of nervously keeping a secret. Or an older kid may be trying -- and failing - to act nonchalant about the whole thing, when in fact he knows exactly what happened because he did it. Or a child may have previously experienced inappropriate contact from a school employee and never told, and just be starting to show signs of wondering if he should tell, because he's just starting to realize that there could possibly be a connection between his experience and Kyron's disappearance.

And lastly, there is only one school in the whole world that I'm 100% sure no child is going to disappear from tomorrow, and that's this elementary school. *Every* adult will watching the children like hawks, taking attendance and headcounts obsessively, etc, *and* there will surely be at least a couple of investigators on the premises all day, watching every adult closely, making sure every adult that comes anywhere near the school/children is identified, etc.

They are having enhanced security tomorrow. It will be like Fort Knox.