IA IA - Elizabeth Collins, 8, & Lyric Cook, 10, Evansdale, 13 July 2012 - #28

[SapphireSteel]

It isn't private land. Where the heck did that come from??:waitasec:

Unless you've gone and personally checked the land titles record, I would probably not start "right fighting" about this relatively unimportant detail.

Most of 7 bridges is government land, around 95% of it.

The very small corner where the girls were found in is privately owned.

 

[otto]

Unless you've gone and personally checked the land titles record, I would probably not start "right fighting" about this relatively unimportant detail.

Most of 7 bridges is government land, around 95% of it.

The very small corner where the girls were found in is privately owned.

Could you please provide a link stating that the children were found on private land rather than at Seven Bridges Country Park.

Here is a map of the park and surrounding private properties. Could you please identify which private land you are referring to.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

It reminds me of a huge boulder that's crashing down a mountain side. I get the impression that the whole process is rushed, but there's no need to rush anything and, in fact, a methodical approach would be much better.

I wonder if the parents have all had counselling to help deal with their grief. Running full steam ahead in building a gazebo on an Island that is inaccessible by foot makes no sense ... if they want to build a bridge, or a road, why not build that first, if only to make it much easier to get the building materials to the Island. Nothing about this seems methodical, logical or sensible ... to me ... which is in part why I'm wondering whether city council is in charge, or if they've simply handed the park to a grieving family and said that they can do whatever they want.

The park renovation strikes me as re-acting rather than acting. Where are the plans? Where is the budget? Where is the schedule? Where is the opportunity for public feedback on the proposed changes? I searched the Evansdale city council planning minutes and parks minutes ... all I see are approvals on renaming the park.

I feel that since the park renovations are being done in tribute to two murdered girls, no one is going to speak out against it, or even be a bit critical. Especially not in a town of 4,000 people. Also, if it is the parents who are requesting changes to the park, how are you going to say "No" to the parents of a murdered child?

ETA: I also think that when a child is murdered by a predator in a community, the community feels a lot of guilt, and feels like they need to do something good to counter what happened.

 

[Marilynilpa]

I agree with you completely. I fear that, due to a lack of additional info to discuss, some of us have become rather nit-picky in an effort to prove some point or another. JMO. I don't see how LE's initial classification of this case makes any difference - it does nothing to explain who took/killed the girls.

I would like to apologize for offending some very nice people with the above post. I was agreeing with otto, and didn't realize that my response made it seem I was critical of foxbluff's post. IMO foxbluff made a valid point and has never exhibited the least bit of "nit-pickiness."

I was upset in general over the bickering that takes place over things that IMO have nothing to do with who took and killed the girls.

I regret using my post to vent my frustrations and I hope everyone offended by my post, especially my dear friend foxbluff, will forgive me for any bad feelings I've caused.

Please.lease:

 

[Marilynilpa]

Initially, I was inclined to believe that the parents knew exactly what their children were doing when the parents were busy, but today, I'm inclined to believe that the children, in particular Elizabeth, did ride their bikes to the Meyers Lake area often. The lawn watering man said that he regularly saw Elizabeth and that he often spoke with her. We know that Elizabeth had cycled to the lake with friends, and it's quite possible that Elizabeth wanted to take Lyric there too.

Since police have included the 12:30-1:00 time, where the children were at Elmer/Gilbert/Arbutus, I assume that police have verified (by interviewing others in the area) that Elizabeth was a frequent visitor to the area.

I think it's possible that the parents that claimed that the children never cycled to the lake were, in part, wanting to prevent any speculation that the children were often unsupervised and doing things without the parent's knowledge.

BBM

I tend to agree with you about this. Although they did nothing wrong, I think the family didn't want it to appear they let the girls ride their bikes wherever they wanted. I think it's natural they would want to avoid being considered an inattentive or bad parent, grandmother, aunt, etc. JMO

 

[otto]

I would like to apologize for offending some very nice people with the above post. I was agreeing with otto, and didn't realize that my response made it seem I was critical of foxbluff's post. IMO foxbluff made a valid point and has never exhibited the least bit of "nit-pickiness."

I was upset in general over the bickering that takes place over things that IMO have nothing to do with who took and killed the girls.

I regret using my post to vent my frustrations and I hope everyone offended by my post, especially my dear friend foxbluff, will forgive me for any bad feelings I've caused.

Please.lease:

I wasn't offended by the comment, and it was directed at me ... I tend to agree ... it happens with every case when the information dries up.

 

[joerose]

BBM, I agree with you.

I would think a sexual predator would have a. Kept them alive for quite a while or b. released them alive.

If it was a sexual predator who was grooming the girls, then why kill them? Why not keep molesting them and doing as he saw fit?

Maybe it's wishful thinking that they were killed immediately? But it really does seem that way.

At least right now, this is what I'm thinking.

Respectfully...I think a sexual predator might kill them within a couple of hours because they would tell someone what happened and possibly identify the predator.

 

[BunnyHop]

So wait...Dan had a plea deal set up, then reneged the day before the girls went missing, changed his plea to Not Guilty, then went to trial and pleaded Guilty?

WTF?

So he had 5 years or so set up, rejected it, then put his hands up to everything anyway and is going to get 200 years now????

That doesn't even make sense, why on earth would someone do that?

It seems that his freedom from July to now (8 months) has literally cost him 195 years of his life:??? Am I missing something?

Here it is:
"The day before both girls vanished, court records show Morrissey appeared in court for a hearing in which he was scheduled to change his pleas in all four cases, suggesting a deal covering all of them had been reached with prosecutors. But he decided not to plead guilty, records show, and the cases were scheduled for trial. The five most serious charges carry possible sentences of 45 years in prison apiece."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/27/dan-morrisey-missing-iowa-cousins-trial_n_1710117.html

Relatives say Morrissey had reached a plea bargain covering all four cases with prosecutors earlier this month, but that he backed out during a July 12 hearing because he wasn't ready to go to jail.

http://www.rivercountry1017.com/Father-Of-Missing-Iowa-Girl-in-Court-for-Assault-a/13832712

 

[otto]

Respectfully...I think a sexual predator might kill them within a couple of hours because they would tell someone what happened and possibly identify the predator.

When children are abducted, the primary motive is sexual assault, and 76% of abducted children are murdered withiin 3 hours of the abduction.

 

[otto]

I feel that since the park renovations are being done in tribute to two murdered girls, no one is going to speak out against it, or even be a bit critical. Especially not in a town of 4,000 people. Also, if it is the parents who are requesting changes to the park, how are you going to say "No" to the parents of a murdered child?

ETA: I also think that when a child is murdered by a predator in a community, the community feels a lot of guilt, and feels like they need to do something good to counter what happened.

I understand the community wanting to do something to help the families with their loss. From another perspective, suppose that there is a child that normally plays at a park, at school, at church and with friends. Suppose that this child goes to a lake where he/she does not normally play and where the child does not have permission to be. Suppose that this child has the most terrifying experience of his/her entire life at that location, where the child is abducted for exploitation and murder. Would that location - the location of the terrifying experience - be one to memorialize? I don't know ... but rushing into building a road and gazebo to an isolated Island at that location strikes me as unusual. I have to wonder whether more time and planning would result in different choices ... like a memorial at a location where the children had happy memories.

Another point to consider is that the skateboard park, near Meyers Lake, has been closed several times due to vandalism. I'm wondering whether a gazebo on an isolated Island can avoid similar vandalism.

 

[Considering]

I understand the community wanting to do something to help the families with their loss. From another perspective, suppose that there is a child that normally plays at a park, at school, at church and with friends. Suppose that this child goes to a lake where he/she does not normally play and where the child does not have permission to be. Suppose that this child has the most terrifying experience of his/her entire life at that location, where the child is abducted for exploitation and murder. Would that location - the location of the terrifying experience - be one to memorialize? I don't know ... but rushing into building a road and gazebo to an isolated Island at that location strikes me as unusual. I have to wonder whether more time and planning would result in different choices ... like a memorial at a location where the children had happy memories.

Another point to consider is that the skateboard park, near Meyers Lake, has been closed several times due to vandalism. I'm wondering whether a gazebo on an isolated Island can avoid similar vandalism.

:gthanks:

 

[Considering]

I look forward to seeing photos!

I'm really curious about what is happening there. Are there any publically available plans that were drawn up for this public park renovation, or has the city simply handed the park over to the family to do with as they please. I'm wondering because I've never heard of a public park renovation that was not first presented with plans and that went through a public response process where people that would be impacted (those that have property at the lake) could offer feedback. It seems so rushed.

I'm also wondering about the wisdom of memorializing the most horrifying day in the children's lives. It's not like the park was a favorite spot for the children. From what we've heard, they weren't supposed to be there. When the family went to a lake, they went to a different lake. Although I had a different opinion last time this was discussed, I now view this more along the lines of setting up a memorial in a rather unusual location.

If the gazebo is being built on the Island, it is completely inaccessible except by boat. I recall reading that a road would be built to the Island ... why not a pedestrian bridge? A road would result in still water where all sorts of unpleasant things would grow.

Here's an article about the park before the construction began.

Saturday’s vote covered the construction of a pedestrian trail connecting the small island to the shore. It will consist of a causeway with two culverts to allow the lake water to circulate, said Park Board President Jeff Dawson

http://wcfcourier.com/news/evansdal...cle_d1d2d0b8-7e0b-11e2-8015-0019bb2963f4.html

 

[roseofsharon]

Does the Evansdale Fire Department work two shifts or just the day shift?

I read that they do not work at the station 24/7, but work on-call on an as needed basis.

Just wondering what the shift hours are and if the firefighter who found the girls' bikes at 4:00 p.m. was on duty or off shift (volunteering) on July 13/12.

TIA

 

[Considering]

Information on Angels Park and the Trail of Angels

Minutes: Evansdale Park and Recreations Board, 2013

February 23, 2013
http://www.evansdale.govoffice.com/...728}/uploads/02-23-13_SPECIAL_MTG_MINUTES.pdf

February 4, 2013
http://www.evansdale.govoffice.com/...1-4EF6-BB07-A8C974051728}/uploads/02-0-13.pdf

January 9, 2013
http://www.evansdale.govoffice.com/...-4EF6-BB07-A8C974051728}/uploads/01-07-13.pdf

 

[cindersoot]

Unless you've gone and personally checked the land titles record, I would probably not start "right fighting" about this relatively unimportant detail.

Most of 7 bridges is government land, around 95% of it.

The very small corner where the girls were found in is privately owned.

The very small corner where the girls were found is privately owned? Link please.

 

[cindersoot]

Could you please provide a link stating that the children were found on private land rather than at Seven Bridges Country Park.

Here is a map of the park and surrounding private properties. Could you please identify which private land you are referring to.

:gthanks:

 

[cindersoot]

Hopefully the perverted killer of these two beautiful children are caught soon, if not when spring comes I want to take a trip to seven bridges and get a lot of pictures of the area. I figure it is closed right now, or at least certain roads in.

 

[alliemay]

As far as a memorial at the park goes, I don't see anything wrong with them making the park look better. Especially if private citizens or businesses are donating money for it. If they were raising taxes on the people that live there I think that would be an entirely different story. Yes a bad thing happened there, but I sort of equate what they are doing to the same situation when people put flowers and crosses on the side of the road when someone dies in a car crash.

 

[Squeeze]

As far as a memorial at the park goes, I don't see anything wrong with them making the park look better. Especially if private citizens or businesses are donating money for it. If they were raising taxes on the people that live there I think that would be an entirely different story. Yes a bad thing happened there, but I sort of equate what they are doing to the same situation when people put flowers and crosses on the side of the road when someone dies in a car crash.

Exactly. They are going to be making it more accessible and pleasant. And its not exactly the spot where they were last seen. As Ive said before, its become a gathering place while people waited for news of the girls. There are still memorial items there, and probably will be for quite some time. I did take pictures today, but not sure if I'll post them. Just some brush piles and a dirt mound in the water. Nothing special yet. And we are supposed to get 6 to 10 more inches of snow!

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

 

[Squeeze]

Just fyi, I see that the house on the corner of Elmer and Gilbert is for sale. I think this is the day care house, although I could be wrong. It has a fenced in back yard, so I am assuming it is. Just makes me think that they would prefer to move from that particular spot. Also, I drove down Arbutus, and there are several houses for sale in one block. Drove on Brogan to look for surveillance cameras, and i didn't see any on the trucking business' building, which quite honestly surprises me.