CO - Jessica Ridgeway, 10, Westminster, 5 Oct. 2012 - #23

[Eireannach]

Ugh. I'd hoped this had been resolved by now. A friend made me aware of this "foundation" a few weeks ago. The woman running it was, as you indicated, illegally using JR's name and raising funds not going to the family. On the public FB group page for the "foundation" which was high in volume and support, some folks who were suspicious asked questions about the legitimacy of the org and where their money was going.... the answers were either straight out lies or avoiding the question. People were demonized for questioning the "good heart" of this charity and then blocked from the group's page. There were also repeated mentions that the Ridgeway family was supporting and endorsing the group. This was before AS was arrested... and there were several people who were passing this page/info onto WPD.

If this post/content is not appropriate and I need to modify or take it down for some reason, please let me know. I don't mean to be snarky. Just relaying what I saw going on over there. And I don't know if that page can be linked or if it's even pertinent at this point. It just ticks me off beyond belief!!! I couldn't believe that someone was creating more chaos and heartache for the Ridgeways, upset for the community and public, and work for LE.

All in the name of "charity" "awareness" and in sweet Jessica's name. :furious:

It's absolutely amazing to me when people use another's tragedy for their benefit. It's doubly amazing when they don't understand that they cannot use someone's name and/or likeness with out the required permissions. It's just pathetic. Why are these people making more headaches for the Ridgeway family? As this situation unfolded, I was continually thinking of ways I could help the Ridgeway family, not how I could benefit from their loss.

 

[KaaBoom]

What else does someone on death row have to do with their time? In most states, death row inmates aren't allowed to hold jobs available to other inmates, they are often not able to participate in any rehab or recreation programs, so there is very little available to them.

Not only is it cruel to cut off human contact (the US has more prisoners in solitary confinement than any other industrialised nation), it is a danger to the prison staff. For pragmatic reasons alone, allowing contact with the outside world is a good thing.

It isn't any secret when someone is a prisoner (a hint could be when you are instructed to include their prison ID number in the address). In this day of easy internet access, anyone who wants to can look up a given inmate's case and educate themselves on who it is they are thinking of corresponding with.

If someone chooses not to do so, well, no one can force them to educate themselves.

Yes, usually the letter would have the prisoners number after their name. Plus it usually has a big stamp on it, that says something to the effect "This letter was mailed from the XYZ penitentiary". Though some facilities are kind of lazy about stamping it. So its possible that someone could get a letter from a prisoner and not know it.

Also about solitary confinement. I think it has been proven that solitary confinement is the safest way to house prisoners. Thats why they do it. The prisoners may not like it, but there is very little danger to staff when the prisoners are kept locked in their cells.

Otherwise I agree 100% with your post.

 

[perfectingpink]

Yes, usually the letter would have the prisoners number after their name. Plus it usually has a big stamp on it, that says something to the effect "This letter was mailed from the XYZ penitentiary". Though some facilities are kind of lazy about stamping it. So its possible that someone could get a letter from a prisoner and not know it.

Also about solitary confinement. I think it has been proven that solitary confinement is the safest way to house prisoners. Thats why they do it. The prisoners may not like it, but there is very little danger to staff when the prisoners are kept locked in their cells.

Otherwise I agree 100% with your post.

I think you are right! My biggest concern was coming across a website where a death row inmate was able to post his personal profile in order to solicit pen pals.

I suppose the silver lining is maybe someone who makes contact can make a difference...

 

[KaaBoom]

And this kid that killed Jessica was it seems a loner anyway, so he will be perfectly content being alone.

Not correct. He had a girl friend and a small circle of very close friends. He is definitely not a loner.

 

[catswhiskers]

Not correct. He had a girl friend and a small circle of very close friends. He is definitely not a loner.

Apart from the details of horrible crime, we don't know anything definite about AS and his social life. The little, often conflicting, information we have heard has trickled out from media sources, and I take comments from his past or present classmates with a grain of salt. They are from teenagers who may or may not have known him well at all. The people who know him best of all are the least likely to be wanting to appear on camera for a 10 second grab IMO. Media tend to ask anyone nearby for their opinion in these cases, and there will always be people who don't mind being interviewed on camera, or in print as a "friend", who aren't really as in the know as they would like to appear.

:moo: which I am perfectly entitled to express politely here

 

[Footwarrior]

There is now a sign posted where the body was found asking people not to leave items at this location. The sign is new, but I noticed that the fallen tree had been cleared quite a while ago.

Before the sign was posted someone put up a cross a few yards to the west and people are still leaving items around the cross.

 

[SapphireSteel]

Personally, I get two readings about ARS, both conflicting.

One is of a magnetic, brooding, charismatic type personality who attracts a group of admirers.

The other is of a strange loner who is bullied and shunned, and spends far too much time in creepy solitary pursuits.

Which is accurate?

Or are they both accurate?

:dunno:

 

[Eireannach]

There is now a sign posted where the body was found asking people not to leave items at this location. The sign is new, but I noticed that the fallen tree had been cleared quite a while ago.

Before the sign was posted someone put up a cross a few yards to the west and people are still leaving items around the cross.

I drove past this last Sunday and noticed that the items against the tree and the fence were gone and that only the cross (and some items around it) remained. It's too bad that they have to post a sign asking people not to leave items. Eventually it would stop anyway. Whatever, people will probably still leave items there anyway, much like people do at all of the crosses marking deadly car accidents or whatever. I'm sure that location will be overflowing with purple flowers next October.

 

[catswhiskers]

Regarding the sign in the open space - I can understand this. People forget that this was horribly a dump site, and to some - including Jessica's family, it really is not how or where they wish to remember their little girl.

We have had a similar situation here in Australia with the Jill Meagher case. Well meaning folks memorialised the site by a country road where her killer buried her body, and it too has been recently cleared by authorities. IMO I can't imagine getting in my car and travelling to visit any site where a murder victim had been found.

Maybe it would be more appropriate to create a special memorial spot in a local park or favourite playground of Jessica's?

:moo:

 

[stillwatersc]

Personally, I get two readings about ARS, both conflicting.

One is of a magnetic, brooding, charismatic type personality who attracts a group of admirers.

The other is of a strange loner who is bullied and shunned, and spends far too much time in creepy solitary pursuits.

Which is accurate?
Or are they both accurate?

:dunno:

In my unfortunately vast experience with a sociopath, he was like that. Very charming, very charismatic & friendly & talkative when he wanted something or wanted to impress someone. He looked at people as victims (those were the ones he would be charismatic with) and enemies. An 'enemy' was anyone he was jealous of; anyone who questioned his behavior or prior victims who got away. With the 'enemies' he was quiet, remote and glaring.

 

[Eireannach]

Regarding the sign in the open space - I can understand this. People forget that this was horribly a dump site, and to some - including Jessica's family, it really is not how or where they wish to remember their little girl.

We have had a similar situation here in Australia with the Jill Meagher case. Well meaning folks memorialised the site by a country road where her killer buried her body, and it too has been recently cleared by authorities. IMO I can't imagine getting in my car and travelling to visit any site where a murder victim had been found.

Maybe it would be more appropriate to create a special memorial spot in a local park or favourite playground of Jessica's?

:moo:

My understanding is that people are working on a more permanent memorial site (I think they have Chelsea Park in mind), but it doesn't change the fact that people that wish to pay respects (in the absence of a grave marker or a permanent memorial) will seek a location at which to do so. The most logical locations at this time are Chelsea Park and the Pattridge Park location. It's the same reason that memorials are constructed at the locations of major tragedies already (WTC, Shanksville PA crash site, Pearl Harbor, etc.).

 

[tlcya]

Personally, I get two readings about ARS, both conflicting.

One is of a magnetic, brooding, charismatic type personality who attracts a group of admirers.

The other is of a strange loner who is bullied and shunned, and spends far too much time in creepy solitary pursuits.

Which is accurate?

Or are they both accurate?

:dunno:

This is my dilemma as well. There is a lot of seemingly conflicting personality info on ARS.

 

[mck16]

Apart from the details of horrible crime, we don't know anything definite about AS and his social life. The little, often conflicting, information we have heard has trickled out from media sources, and I take comments from his past or present classmates with a grain of salt. They are from teenagers who may or may not have known him well at all. The people who know him best of all are the least likely to be wanting to appear on camera for a 10 second grab IMO. Media tend to ask anyone nearby for their opinion in these cases, and there will always be people who don't mind being interviewed on camera, or in print as a "friend", who aren't really as in the know as they would like to appear.

:moo: which I am perfectly entitled to express politely here

Personally I would be very embarrased and afraid to say I was his girlfriend. jmo

 

[otto]

This is my dilemma as well. There is a lot of seemingly conflicting personality info on ARS.

He sounds like a typical teenager to me. He has a few friends, he has been bullied at one point or another during his childhood, he didn't want to go to school so he did his GED and went to a technical/trade school ... some people liked him, some didn't.

We know that he wasn't a typical teenager, but I don't think that anyone saw anything particularly bizarre in his personality that foreshadowed what he did.

 

[otto]

Personally I would be very embarrased and afraid to say I was his girlfriend. jmo

His first girlfriend was interviewed. She said that he was very sweet, and that he must have really changed to do what he did. Joran van der Sloot's first girlfriend said the very same thing about him.

Joran van der Sloot and Austin Sigg seem to have a lot in common ... two teenagers that decided to kill a young woman or girl. Both of them acted like nothing happened after the fact.

 

[otto]

There is now a sign posted where the body was found asking people not to leave items at this location. The sign is new, but I noticed that the fallen tree had been cleared quite a while ago.

Before the sign was posted someone put up a cross a few yards to the west and people are still leaving items around the cross.

Thanks for the update. I wouldn't want a memorial for a family member in a cold, barren open space either. Maybe someone local should set up a fund to donate a park bench in Jessica's memory.

 

[Eireannach]

Thanks for the update. I wouldn't want a memorial for a family member in a cold, barren open space either. Maybe someone local should set up a fund to donate a park bench in Jessica's memory.

http://www.facebook.com/JessicaRidgewayMemorialGardens

 

[mck16]

His first girlfriend was interviewed. She said that he was very sweet, and that he must have really changed to do what he did. Joran van der Sloot's first girlfriend said the very same thing about him.

Joran van der Sloot and Austin Sigg seem to have a lot in common ... two teenagers that decided to kill a young woman or girl. Both of them acted like nothing happened after the fact.

Are you speaking of the girl he dated twice in the 8th grade? I think they also went to church together. I doubt he would show any of his maniacal tendencies to his friends. He is quite an enigma. jmo

 

[otto]

http://www.facebook.com/JessicaRidgewayMemorialGardens

Thanks ... but I don't use facebook.

 

[Eireannach]

Thanks ... but I don't use facebook.

Ha ha, neither do I. :highfive: