Missed red flags led to tragedy .. Parents take note of the suspect's behavior
http://www.hlntv.com/shows/nancy-gr...h-perrywinkle-surveillance-video-and-911-call
Note : Donald Smith a registered sex offender who was released only 21 days prior to Periwinkles abduction and murder was arrested in 2013 only hours after , and charged with the child's murder , he is currently awaiting trial in Florida
Predator behavior :
-Suspect approached unsolicited
-Offered Unsolicited help
-Offered aid far beyond what was necessary at the time of need (What is sometimes called "loan sharking"), not only helps her out with her purchases at the Dollar General, but offers to pay for kids clothes with a 100.00 gift certificate at Wal Mart.
-Mother accepts ride from stranger (could have killed the entire family if he wished)
-Suspect states he's going to meet his "wife" at another location Wal Mart (re-affirmation) who never materializes and yet never questioned, and though the suspect is supposedly going to meet his wife , he never once leaves the family once he arrives at wal mart to find his "wife"
-Suspect gained favor enough through his apparent gestures for victim's mother to drop her guard and allow her daughter to go with an unknown adult (She didnt want to seem rude)
-Day prior to the abduction, Smith asks his roommate to help him remove seats from the rear of his van (premeditation), as a matter of fact his own roommate turns him in once he sees the video
-Suspect knowingly lures child from store after being caught on security cameras at 2 different locations (No issue with being seen)
-Victim's family has been in his presence and in his vehicle, can identify both (Demonstrates little concern)
Florida officials released surveillance video and the 911 call in the abduction and murder of 8-year-old Cherish Perrywinkle, who police say was strangled and sexually assaulted in 2013.
Donald J. Smith's Criminal History : Failure of the system
-1977 arrested for Lewd and lascivious assault in the presence of a child and is classified as a "A mentally disordered sex offender"
-Arrested 1981 for violating his probation on that charge (Unspecified) served 14 months
-1992 convicted on "multiple counts of attempted kidnapping and providing obscene materials to minors" serves 5 and a half years after trying to lure two teenage girls into his van. (note the choice of vehicle in separate offenses)
-Serves time in sex offender program, and is flagged by psychiatrists as high risk, dangerous and a "danger to re-offend" but is labelled by the state as a "sex offender ", Not a "Sexual predator" therefore a jury fails to hear the psychiatrist's recommendation, it is enough however for him to be sent to a civil commitment program before his release in 1999, in Tampa where he is eventually released in 2002 (Note only 1% of all sex offenders fall into this category)
-2003 sentenced to 2.5 years for trafficking stolen property and providing false ID to a pawnbroker, is officially labelled a "Sex offender" , but not a "sexual predator"
-Is placed on the Fla. Sex offender registry upon its induction in 2007 but listed simply as a "sex offender", not a "sexual predator"
-2009 is arrested for trying to pass himself off as a Florida department of Children and Families employee in an attempt to make obscene phone calls to a child, gets into a physical altercation with police upon his arrest when he refuses to exit his vehicle. Smith pleads guilty to misdemeanor charges and therefore is never re-evaluated
-Immediately after the AMBER alert is issued for Periwinkle, Smith's photo is circulated as a possible suspect .
-Because he was never "officially" labelled as a violent sex offender is able to legally reside within walking distance to a middle school
-Van is the vehicle of choice even after being convicted once of trying to lure 2 girls into one .
-Still lived with his mother (common amongst violent predators)