ID ID - Michael “Monkey” Vaughan, 5, last seen near home, Fruitland, 27 Jul 2021 #2

[MysteriousNoblewoman]

So sad....
As if he vanished into thin air....
Not a trace.....

It's a shame that the Fruitvale PD removed all the other FB posts, because I kept looking for them and they were already taken down.....
I think there may have been some info about him going to neighbors' homes that day.

No - the police actually never elaborated on the claims that neighbours saw him and that he knocked on their doors. I found that weird from the beginning since everyone else was saying it. Does anyone knows why LE would not say who saw him in a case where speculations can be so hurtful for the parents?

 

[MoeInVA]

No - the police actually never elaborated on the claims that neighbours saw him and that he knocked on their doors. I found that weird from the beginning since everyone else was saying it. Does anyone knows why LE would not say who saw him in a case where speculations can be so hurtful for the parents?

I agree that if the police wanted to stop speculations about the parents, mentioning that multiple neighbors saw Michael would have been helpful (if confirmed). It’s bothered me that they never mentioned or confirmed that.

 

[ScorpioRising]

I read through some of the news information again to see whether we can get some general direction he might have moved in from the reported sightings. It looks like the reporting evolved from SW 9th and Arizona, to SW 8th, SW 9th and Cornwall and eventually to SW8th, 9th, Washington Avenue and Cornwall after police was able to work through available camera footage.
The way it is stated it does sound like sighting of him were reported but as mentioned above I agree that it would be helpful if police would clarify this.

July 28th 2021 Media Idaho News:
"Idaho State Police issued an Endangered Missing Person Alert for Michael Joseph Vaughan, who was last seen in the area of SW 9th and Arizona in Fruitland on Tuesday." Source

August 17th 2021 Media KTVB mentioned he was last seen
"He was last seen in the area of southwest 8th Street, southwest 9th Street and Cornwall Way between 6:30 and 7:15 p.m. on July 27 in Fruitland."
Source

October 8th 2021 Media NewsNationNow: (This was after police was looking through available video footage)
"He was last seen in Fruitland, ID in the area of SW 8th and 9th streets, and Washington Avenue and Cornwall Way between 6 and 7 p.m. on July 27." Source



I hope I labeled the Splash Pad Park correctly on this map. His mom mentioned in The Lauren Matthias / Hidden True Crime podcast that he has attempted once in the past to walk towards the park by himself and was caught by grandpa who drove by and saw him. So considering the reported sightings/locations I would say there is a possibility he was on his way towards the park. I also want to add that the picture of the Honda Pilot can be confusing due to camera angle but this vehicle is leaving the area not driving in. At some point this vehicle entered the neighborhood and I assume that police knows how much time was spent in the area. The Honda is driving out of the area right across from the park on this picture.

I wonder whether locals are aware to look for blue flip flops size 11? Kids lose shoes all the time and someone might not realize the importance of such a flip flop found in the area if they are unaware. His mother mentioned in the above mentioned podcast that she had just purchased him these flip flops and he was still learning how to walk in them.

 

[ReadySet]

IMO, because LE priority is to progress the case and find MV; not to prevent the parents from being hurt.

No - the police actually never elaborated on the claims that neighbours saw him and that he knocked on their doors. I found that weird from the beginning since everyone else was saying it. Does anyone knows why LE would not say who saw him in a case where speculations can be so hurtful for the parents?

 

[MoeInVA]

IMO, because LE priority is to progress the case and find MV; not to prevent the parents from being hurt.

I guess so. I feel like in most cases there are more press briefings with reporter Q & A where that kind of thing is asked and answered pretty early on.

They switched to Facebook posts really early in this case.

(JMO that’s because they did not want to answer questions and they had reason to believe that more publicity would not help them find MV .)

Fruitland is pretty far from the major media outlets in Idaho, so that may have been a factor too in not having an aggressive media pushing for answers.

 

[MysteriousNoblewoman]

IMO, because LE priority is to progress the case and find MV; not to prevent the parents from being hurt.

It wouldn’t have taken much time to just say that a neighbour saw him, or that he was seen outside on the street. It also seems relevant to the progress of the case that everyone knows exactly where he was last seen, and at what time - since then you know whether or not you saw him after and where.
Mom looks (obviously) absolutely devastated in interviews, and there are several discussion groups all over social media with hurtful comments in them - if I was the parents, I would have pressed LE to announce that he was in fact seen outside by someone else or I would have said it myself at the first press conference. Just to shut down those comments and speculations

 

[ReadySet]

IMO, I don't think we really know what we'd do in this situation, because we don't know everything these parents know. It's not about time taken to reveal something, it's about whether or not it really would help find MV.

It could very well be that the neighbors and others invovled in this case know a lot that we (the public) don't know. I realize that drives us crazy, but I'll sacrifice my curiousity to protect the investigation.

Fruitland is only about half an hour drive from Nampa, and less than an hour from Boise; so imo I don't think distance is a major factor in lack of media agressive questioning. I think it's more likely a "we're all in this together and we'll do whatever will help" attitude that informs many reporters.

Just my opinion as someone who lives in the general area.



[/QUOTE]="MysteriousNoblewoman, post: 17414963, member: 294981"]It wouldn’t have taken much time to just say that a neighbour saw him, or that he was seen outside on the street. It also seems relevant to the progress of the case that everyone knows exactly where he was last seen, and at what time - since then you know whether or not you saw him after and where.
Mom looks (obviously) absolutely devastated in interviews, and there are several discussion groups all over social media with hurtful comments in them - if I was the parents, I would have pressed LE to announce that he was in fact seen outside by someone else or I would have said it myself at the first press conference. Just to shut down those comments and speculations[/QUOTE]

 

[ScorpioRising]

This December article states that BN reported he knocked on three doors in the neighborhood:

“She says her son was looking for older neighborhood kids with whom he could play.
“He went to a neighbor’s house. And another neighbor’s house, and another neighbor’s house,” Neal said.”

Along SW 8th street it looks like it has a tall white fence along one side. If a vehicle drove up while he was walking along the sidewalk it would pretty much block the view to the neighbors on the other side. Likewise it looks like there are definitely spots with trees etc away from neighbors view. The scent dogs abruptly lost track towards the end of the street..and it sounds like that would be the path leading away from the family house opposite of the farm fields. Source
Hopefully police can find out more/release more information about the Honda Pilot leaving the neighborhood around the time he disappeared. I wonder how long this vehicle was in the neighborhood. Can anybody tell from the picture whether it looks like an Idaho license plate?

 

[MoeInVA]

This December article states that BN reported he knocked on three doors in the neighborhood:

“She says her son was looking for older neighborhood kids with whom he could play.
“He went to a neighbor’s house. And another neighbor’s house, and another neighbor’s house,” Neal said.”

Along SW 8th street it looks like it has a tall white fence along one side. If a vehicle drove up while he was walking along the sidewalk it would pretty much block the view to the neighbors on the other side. Likewise it looks like there are definitely spots with trees etc away from neighbors view. The scent dogs abruptly lost track towards the end of the street..and it sounds like that would be the path leading away from the family house opposite of the farm fields. Source
Hopefully police can find out more/release more information about the Honda Pilot leaving the neighborhood around the time he disappeared. I wonder how long this vehicle was in the neighborhood. Can anybody tell from the picture whether it looks like an Idaho license plate?

Nope. I can’t even tell if there is a license plate or just a frame. Based on police response that we know of, I think it’s either unknown or Idaho. No indication it is an out of state plate based on searches/police updates.

 

[155etta]

This December article states that BN reported he knocked on three doors in the neighborhood:

“She says her son was looking for older neighborhood kids with whom he could play.
“He went to a neighbor’s house. And another neighbor’s house, and another neighbor’s house,” Neal said.”

Along SW 8th street it looks like it has a tall white fence along one side. If a vehicle drove up while he was walking along the sidewalk it would pretty much block the view to the neighbors on the other side. Likewise it looks like there are definitely spots with trees etc away from neighbors view. The scent dogs abruptly lost track towards the end of the street..and it sounds like that would be the path leading away from the family house opposite of the farm fields. Source
Hopefully police can find out more/release more information about the Honda Pilot leaving the neighborhood around the time he disappeared. I wonder how long this vehicle was in the neighborhood. Can anybody tell from the picture whether it looks like an Idaho license plate?

It doesn't look like an Idaho plate. It looks like there is no plate on it. In Idaho you are required to have a front and back plate. Newly purchased vehicles will have the paperwork from the dealership taped to the back window and you have so much time to get it registered and get plates on it. My husband just bought a pickup and I think he had a month to do it. MOO.

 

[iamnotagolem]

Agreed it looks like no front plate. All surrounding states require a front plate. Which makes me wonder if there was a back plate? If not, that may explain why LE hasn’t been able to track it down.

 

[lilithblue]

Agreed it looks like no front plate. All surrounding states require a front plate. Which makes me wonder if there was a back plate? If not, that may explain why LE hasn’t been able to track it down.

In Oregon, while front and back plates are required, it's fairly common to see vehicles without the front plate.

 

[MoeInVA]

Here are a few facts of this case:

• Police have not ruled anything out.
  
• Police say they have found no evidence of abduction.
  
• Police have failed to mention or confirm if any neighbors saw Michael the night he went missing.
  
• Despite massive pressure (6 months later), police refuse to issue amber alert.
  
• Monkeys parents do no interviews for ~ 100 days.
  
  
• Police ask for privacy for the parents and Tyler is never seen again after july presser.
• Brandi and Tyler never mentioned neighbor sightings at police press briefings.
  
• Despite ~ 100 day lag, no grandparents or aunts ever did media interviews in parents’ defense or calling for Monkey.
  
• Why not?!!!!!!

 

[Knox]

Here are a few facts of this case:

• Police have not ruled anything out.
  
• Police say they have found no evidence of abduction.
  
• Police have failed to mention or confirm if any neighbors saw Michael the night he went missing.
  
• Despite massive pressure (6 months later), police refuse to issue amber alert.
  
• Monkeys parents do no interviews for ~ 100 days.
  
  
• Police ask for privacy for the parents and Tyler is never seen again after july presser.
• Brandi and Tyler never mentioned neighbor sightings at police press briefings.
  
• Despite ~ 100 day lag, no grandparents or aunts ever did media interviews in parents’ defense or calling for Monkey.
  
• Why not?!!!!!!

If not for the seeming support of the parents by LE, I'd be thinking something completely contrary ... wish we had answers to your questions!

 

[Friday Fan]

Here are a few facts of this case:

• Police have not ruled anything out.
  
• Police say they have found no evidence of abduction.
  
• Police have failed to mention or confirm if any neighbors saw Michael the night he went missing.
  
• Despite massive pressure (6 months later), police refuse to issue amber alert.
  
• Monkeys parents do no interviews for ~ 100 days.
  
  
• Police ask for privacy for the parents and Tyler is never seen again after july presser.
• Brandi and Tyler never mentioned neighbor sightings at police press briefings.
  
• Despite ~ 100 day lag, no grandparents or aunts ever did media interviews in parents’ defense or calling for Monkey.
  
• Why not?!!!!!!

I'm following the Lina Sardar Khil case.
Law enforcement tells family not to speak with the media.

(I guess you can speak to them as long as you speak in very general terms)
However, if there would be any hints at who the neighbors were, I'm thinking LE worries it could jeopardize a criminal case (defense attorneys would be all over it) MOO

Lina's family has a support system with the same group that searched for Baby Gabriel in 2010.

 

[Colorado303]

I'm following the Lina Sardar Khil case.
Law enforcement tells family not to speak with the media.

(I guess you can speak to them as long as you speak in very general terms)
However, if there would be any hints at who the neighbors were, I'm thinking LE worries it could jeopardize a criminal case (defense attorneys would be all over it) MOO

Lina's family has a support system with the same group that searched for Baby Gabriel in 2010.

LE can advise/request parents and everyone else not speak to the media, but they also can’t prohibit it even if it might hinder the investigation. I’ve posted before how highly skilled the press can be at persuading/ manipulating/badgering people to do interviews. That’s one reason why it’s not uncommon for LE to keep even clearly innocent, well-intentioned family members in the dark re investigation progress.

Of course occassionly LE encourages family members to make a public plea but that’s almost always via controlled venues like pre-recorded video or press conference. I think it would be extremely rare for them to encourage any “uncontrolled” interview with press.

Social media trolls are another very good reason why family, friends and witnesses may be reluctant to talk to media or even post info on Facebook. In the Watts case, virtually anyone who spoke to the press or was simply mentioned in discovery has been accused multiple times of directly or indirectly being responsible for SW and the girls deaths. I’m not exaggerating. The friend who first called the police, her minor son, the next door neighbor w/security video, the friends who let CW stay w/them, CW’s co-worker who gave an interview have all been accused of direct involvement in the murders. Every family member has been accused of directly or indirectly causing the crime to happen. And every one of them that I know personally has received desth threats. To this day it’s happening, years later. It’s absolutely horrible to see the impact this has had on people and their families.

Unless it’s going to significantly help w/the investigation or save a life, personally I’d advise anyone associated w/widely publicized crimes to keep their head down and if they do choose to comment do it anonymously. I don’t care how many clicks or followers might be missed, IMO it’s just not worth it.

 

[carbuff]

All the things that aren't said and done, including no Amber Alert, kind of make me lean toward LE suspects somebody local.

 

[MoeInVA]

All the things that aren't said and done, including no Amber Alert, kind of make me lean toward LE suspects somebody local.

I agree.

 

[Kiranerys]

All the things that aren't said and done, including no Amber Alert, kind of make me lean toward LE suspects somebody local.

Doesn't an Amber alert have specific requirement though?, I was under the impression there needed to be a description of a vehicle or a suspect that was witnessed taking the child?
I'm in the UK so forgive me if I've got that completely wrong. We don't have them here

 

[carbuff]

Doesn't an Amber alert have specific requirement though?, I was under the impression there needed to be a description of a vehicle or a suspect that was witnessed taking the child?
I'm in the UK so forgive me if I've got that completely wrong. We don't have them here

Requirements vary by state, and there are usually exception procedures. Yes, a vehicle and a suspect description is often a requirement.

Basically there needs to be enough information that people have something to be on the lookout for.