Resolved FL - Port St Joe, 2 Children 96UMFL & 66UFFL, bound & gagged in photo, Jun'89

[JezyUn]

I have not read through all the postings (yet) not sure if anyone else noticed..The girl in the photo looks much taller than 5"0.

 

[taotoo]

I wish I knew what the girl's shirt said, and what is on the boys shirt as well.

On the boy's shirt is a light-coloured dog with a black eye. I imagine it's meant to be a white puppy.

 

[Chuz Life]

The police should have released the pictures that they withheld from the public, as bad as they may have been. Personally, I think the picture found in Florida had way too many similarities with Tara in appearance. Along with the fact that her favorite book was sitting next to her in the picture. If it was a staged photo, how would the person who took the picture know her favorite book? By chance? I doubt that. If Scotland Yard says it's Tara in the photo, including her mother, I tend to believe them. I really think the police should have looked a lot more into the Florida connection in relation to where the photo was found. Hope this case gets solved someday.

Do we know who or what agency has this (Florida) image and the other two images that were later found?

Anyone?

 

[Ausgirl]

Reading through this thread from the beginning -- I just have to say that I am --utterly gobsmacked-- at some the older posts declaring there's no such thing as organised pedophile rings, multiple pedos abducting kids, etc. Seriously?

I am equally stunned by the whole FBI and 'shaved legs' thing.. How can they even tell her legs are shaved, in that light? Some kids don't have visible body hair, especially with a tan.. and that girl could be anywhere from 12 to 16-17, IMO.

Makes me wonder what planet some folks live on. Anyway...

I've often wondered if these pics were taken by an abusive parent or relative. That these kids have never been identified or soundly linked to missing persons cases even after all this time makes me think it could have been a parent making images to sell or share.

The book (plus apparently a cup and a plastic squirtgun, according to Doe network) in the image suggests a more 'domestic' scene than a kidnap, to me - and the tape really does look a bit staged (ie, easy to remove by moving the jaw), while the hatred in that girl's eyes doesn't at all - I can see a sick step-daddy ordering the kids to pose... or else.

I don't think it's a hoax - hoaxers (especially young ones) tend to seek maximum attention, and a single picture on the ground in a carpark, where it might never have been discovered at all, doesn't really fit the MO of a hoaxer who'd go to all that trouble of staging the pic, IMO. Young kids would also not be driving a van...

In any case, the picture is certainly disturbing and no doubt there's a ton of creepy pedos out there who've enjoyed it over the years.

 

[Chuz Life]

On the boy's shirt is a light-coloured dog with a black eye. I imagine it's meant to be a white puppy.

That's awesome how you figured that out from such a grainy polaroid, Tao.

How did you first figure it out?

I was sure it was a teddy bear... but after rotating and enhancing the image, I can see that you are right. It's a comic of a terrier dog (kind of like Spuds McKenzie - the Budwiser dog of the 80's)

I've searched for days now - trying to find a match and source for the shirt that the boy is wearing. I've decided to share my images and see if anyone else wants to help.

Here are the images. Viewers may need to zoom in and out to see it for what it is.

Good luck finding a match / source on it.

 

[taotoo]

I look at lots of dog pictures, however I fear that that might have caused me to make assumptions.

Now that you've mentioned teddy bears, I think you might have been right all along. The narrowness of the muzzle suggested dog to me, but looking at it again, the roundness of the ears and position of the front paws suggests teddy bear.

Maybe it could be a teddy bear dog, if you see what I mean...

 

[zwiebel]

That picture really is heartbreaking. The little boy's t-shirt is sweat stained. He's terrified and probably struggling to breath. If he has been crying and his nose is blocked, he'll be slowly suffocating.

It is hard to believe these children have never been traced.

 

[tatertot]

I think the Spuds Mackenzie resemblance is worth looking into. Although he was a beer mascot, kids loved him too and I'll bet you could have found knock-off t-shirts at souvenir places back in the late Eighties.

An image search reveals his image on many licensed t-shirt designs as well as parodies. IMHO it's unlikely this was an officially licensed t-shirt, as a beer company wouldn't want to promote its products via child-size t-shirts -- unless it's an adult size small shirt?

 

[zwiebel]

I looked at him too, but am not totally convinced because of the pointed ears. Here is a pic of an 80s cartoon image of him.

I've been looking up pirate polar bear images and kids' books. There are a few, and it does look like it could be a polar bear with an eye patch to me.

 

[zwiebel]

I have enlarged the image and drawn around what I see as the outline.

Dog or polar bear? And is that an adult tee it's on? Looks much too big for the child. Maybe more the girl's size?

 

[KrazyKatLadi]

The puppy on his shirt seems so familiar. :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

To me it looks like the puppy is waving or giving a thumbs up. JMO

 

[zwiebel]

Yep. Me too.

 

[zwiebel]

Possibly says CALYPSO on her tee?

 

[zwiebel]

Calypso Cay? (scroll for image)

http://www.orlandominivacations.com/vacation-packages-calypsocay.html

 

[Tawny]

Not caught up on this have any posters thought the "girl" is a boy? What makes investigators and sleuthers here so sure it the person is female?

Looks male to me see arms, legs, though yes slightly effeminate body shape in that sense no breasts (?) but darker perhaps Mediterranean features. (?)

She has breasts. They are smallish and the angle at which she's laying makes them lie on her upper chest, closer to her shoulders/armpits, but they are there.

 

[Sleuthster]

Calypso Cay? (scroll for image)

http://www.orlandominivacations.com/vacation-packages-calypsocay.html

According to Sunbiz corporate records, the earliest record for Calypso Cay is 2000/2001. I don't believe it existed in 1989.

 

[shefner]

Gosh....every time...every time....every time I look at this photo, I want to cry. Who are these kids?! What happened to them? It just makes me crazy to think about it.

I think the boy's shirt figure is a dog....

And the Calypso guess on the girl's shirt is a good one. At first glance, it looks like the same dog on one side of her shirt too. But I think those are letters....

 

[Chuz Life]

I have enlarged the image and drawn around what I see as the outline.

Dog or polar bear? And is that an adult tee it's on? Looks much too big for the child. Maybe more the girl's size?

I tried to do the same with pretty much the same result.

And I too can remember seeing that character somewhere.

I have literally spent days now trying to find a match though and I can't find it.

 

[shefner]

According to Sunbiz corporate records, the earliest record for Calypso Cay is 2000/2001. I don't believe it existed in 1989.

That's a good catch. It does look very similar to the Calypso Cay logo. Someone out there has to know these children.....

 

[zwiebel]

I have just been through the complete list of cartoon character dogs on wiki and found images for every one, but found nothing with a white dog with one black eye. I'll try bears and polar bears and puppies next.