ME ME - Ayla Reynolds, 20 mnths, Waterville, 17 December 2011 - # 2

[ynotdivein]

Back on---showing clip of Mom very upset (saw this clip of her on news uploaded to internet).

(JVM speaking)Ayla's GF (maternal) getting upset and frustrated (showing clip of GF from NG).

Chris Knowles: (asked about Ayla's injuries) Cops were asked about that in their afternoon press conf. haven't moved off position that it was an accident. Father fell on Ayla causing arm injury. Maternal family claim it took father 24 hours to take Ayla in after that injury.

Backstory: Mother went into rehab in OCT for alcohol rehab, (ETA: left Ayla) with Mother and sister, dad takes human services in and takes Ayla saying he is biological father.

Brooks: if you see an injury you have to report an injury (talking about Moms family saying there were previous injuries).

(talking about an airport) have no idea why they are searching---etc.

JVM: hopes that someone took child and got on a plane. (JVM producer reading Dad's statement).

LaFleur is a small airport (4 rather ill-tended runways), as you will read in the AirNav link here: http://www.airnav.com/airport/WVL

Much as we might want to believe it, IMO it's highly unlikely that someone just got on a private plane with Ayla at LaFleur and whisked her off somewhere. If so, there's a pilot out there who knows, since you can't just hop on a commercial JetBlue flight or something there and zip over to Boston... I think it's more likely that they were searching the area because of its proximity to Ayla's father's place, and the scrub land that surrounds it especially to the west, between it and 95.

"Airport Operational Statistics
Aircraft based on the field: 25
Single engine airplanes: 19
Multi engine airplanes: 5
Helicopters: 1

Aircraft operations: avg 37/day *
59% local general aviation
41% transient general aviation
<1% military
* for 12-month period ending 12 August 2011"

(More at link)

 

[Dee10]

Kind of reminds me of how far Crystal Shepard's family lived from Ron Cummings place & that never made sense either.

It kind of seems outlandish that a mother's family member crept inside a small house with a number of people there...to the attic in this case & was able to take a child, when there was possibly another child there & nobody heard or saw a thing. Sounds of a car, at least one dog barking, nobody in this house heard anything & didn't check the children for 12+ hours...I just can't buy what they are trying to sell as logical.

 

[Helenstreet]

Whatever has happened, I really do not get the feeling that Mom or her family are in on it...JMO

I agree with you.

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

LaFleur is a small airport (4 rather ill-tended runways), as you will read in the AirNav link here: http://www.airnav.com/airport/WVL

Much as we might want to believe it, IMO it's highly unlikely that someone just got on a private plane with Ayla at LaFleur and whisked her off somewhere. If so, there's a pilot out there who knows, since you can't just hop on a commercial JetBlue flight or something there and zip over to Boston... I think it's more likely that they were searching the area because of its proximity to Ayla's father's place, and the scrub land that surrounds it especially to the west, between it and 95.

"Airport Operational Statistics
Aircraft based on the field: 25
Single engine airplanes: 19
Multi engine airplanes: 5
Helicopters: 1

Aircraft operations: avg 37/day *
59% local general aviation
41% transient general aviation
<1% military
* for 12-month period ending 12 August 2011"

(More at link)

Thanks Ynotdivein!
I was wondering why there were searches focusing on the airport. I saw on the map it is less than 2 miles(?) from Dad's house, with seemingly easy roads to travel.
My thoughts were that there is often open land near airports where (unfortunately) bodies may be placed.

 

[Dee10]

Sorry, I missed where Ayla's father worked or what he does? Please don't let it be/tell me a landscaper (too many cases) ugghh. No really, I haven't heard?

 

[ynotdivein]

Yup. Maybe a ten minute drive--down to Kennedy Memorial, take a right, and then a left onto Airport Rd... Once you're past Central Maine Motors and a few other businesses, it's untenanted space. (Which makes me hope that LE has been gathering surveillance vids from these places. The dealership should have cameras on their lots at least...)

 

[ynotdivein]

Dee, I don't think I've seen JD's employment situation reported on either. But, since he is Ayla's family member and thus a victim until further notice from LE, that may need to remain a mystery for now.

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

Yup. Maybe a ten minute drive--down to Kennedy Memorial, take a right, and then a left onto Airport Rd... Once you're past Central Maine Motors and a few other businesses, it's untenanted space. (Which makes me hope that LE has been gathering surveillance vids from these places. The dealership should have cameras on their lots at least...)

Real good point regarding the surveillance vids!
And, since the airport is a relatively small one, in contrast to LAX or Dallas/FtWorth, etc, the space is more confined.

 

[Dee10]

I bet you're right, a car dealerships would have both road shots & also to the point they show a car entering (therefore a shot from the road as well). They're are trying to protect 100's of thousands of dollars & prove a culprit if need be. You bet there is video surveillance! Wow, you are all over this ynotdivein!!!

 

[cluciano63]

Seems like even a small private airport would have plenty of cameras too, no?

 

[Dee10]

Just a thought to mods to consider & give guidance; given the house is a crime scene, white boots, cadaver dogs, DA out there...would you think it is now appropriate to loosen the ties on the father? :innocent:

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

Okay...this may sound O/T...but I was looking at the google map again to jar my brain for new thoughts...so here is a stab. Please don't throw tomatoes at me!

I see there are two hospitals close to dad's home: Maine General Hospital and Inland Hospital. What are the legalities of anonymously dropping off young children at hospitals by people who cannot take care of them?

I know the hospital where my daughter got her broken ankle taken care of had a sign on the front regarding "This Hsopital is a Safe Place to Bring Children" (of course I don't know the exact wording). I asked the nurses if I could leave my daughter there...but they said 22 year olds are too old!

We were just kidding of course...I adore my now 23 year old "baby"!:great:

 

[ynotdivein]

Seems like even a small private airport would have plenty of cameras too, no?

Yes, but maybe not pointed along the access road is what I'm thinking.

Here's the map I've been noodling with:

Google maps 2 LaFleur Rd Waterville ME

Hope this works.

If you zoom out, you will find Violette Dr. northeast of the airport, on the other side of Kennedy Memorial Drive (KMD) and a click or two to the right.

Airport Rd. runs along the length of runway 23, but to get to the real airport property, one would have to turn onto LaFleur Rd, and the main building is there. If someone continued past LaFleur to where Airport dead-ends, there's really nothing there, and I don't know if the airport has cameras facing onto Airport Rd... but some of those businesses closer to KMD surely must.

 

[ynotdivein]

Just a thought to mods to consider & give guidance; given the house is a crime scene, white boots, cadaver dogs, DA out there...would you think it is now appropriate to loosen the ties on the father? :innocent:

Very much understood. Let me do some sleuthing on this very good question and get back to you.

 

[ynotdivein]

Okay...this may sound O/T...but I was looking at the google map again to jar my brain for new thoughts...so here is a stab. Please don't throw tomatoes at me!

I see there are two hospitals close to dad's home: Maine General Hospital and Inland Hospital. What are the legalities of anonymously dropping off young children at hospitals by people who cannot take care of them?

I know the hospital where my daughter got her broken ankle taken care of had a sign on the front regarding "This Hsopital is a Safe Place to Bring Children" (of course I don't know the exact wording). I asked the nurses if I could leave my daughter there...but they said 22 year olds are too old!

We were just kidding of course...I adore my now 23 year old "baby"!:great:

Good question. Best I can find about this is that there is a legal exemption from ME's child abandonment statute if:

"A. The child was less than 31 days of age; and [2001, c. 543, §1 (NEW).]
B. The child was delivered by the person charged under this section to an individual the person reasonably believed to be:
(1) A law enforcement officer;
(2) Staff at a medical emergency room;
(3) A medical services provider as defined in Title 22, section 4018; or
(4) A hospital staff member at a hospital. [2001, c. 543, §1 (NEW).]"

Bold and underlined by me. Can't find any updates to the statute after 2001, so if this is indeed still law, Ayla would not qualify due to her age. Will keep poking around.

http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/17-a/title17-Asec553.html


ETA: Found this site by googling "Maine safe haven law"--looks like it is as stated above, within 31 days of birth.

 

[cluciano63]

I wish it wasn't the case that children have to be under a certain age to use the option of dropping them at a safe place...I wonder if any lives might have been saved if otherwise. I think a lot of young mothers who have issues don't want the stigma of having given away a child, but might do so if they felt they could do it anonymously and not answer a lot of questions. I wonder why there IS an age limit, which varies by state. I hope it is not because the system is not equipped to handle as many children as might be "turned in" but fear that could be the reason...

 

[lauriej]

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/region ... 4&srvc=rss

House scoured for missing tot

Officials conduct ‘expanded search’ in case

WATERVILLE, Maine — Cadaver dogs and crime-scene investigators have descended on this central Maine community to help crack the baffling disappearance of toddler Ayla Reynolds in a painstaking search cops are still calling a missing child case.

The house where the 20-month-old was last seen was sealed off with yellow police tape yesterday and officials with the state Attorney General’s Office were called in to tour the home. Investigators also wrapped their shoes in disposable booties before entering the house.

Waterville Police Chief Joseph Massey downplayed the forensic show of force, labeling the dogs “just another tool” in the search for the little girl and called it an “expanded search of the home” and not a crime scene.

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

Good question. Best I can find about this is that there is a legal exemption from ME's child abandonment statute if:

"A. The child was less than 31 days of age; and [2001, c. 543, §1 (NEW).]
B. The child was delivered by the person charged under this section to an individual the person reasonably believed to be:
(1) A law enforcement officer;
(2) Staff at a medical emergency room;
(3) A medical services provider as defined in Title 22, section 4018; or
(4) A hospital staff member at a hospital. [2001, c. 543, §1 (NEW).]"

Bold and underlined by me. Can't find any updates to the statute after 2001, so if this is indeed still law, Ayla would not qualify due to her age. Will keep poking around.

http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/17-a/title17-Asec553.html

Thanks for looking up the law for me. I had a feeling "almost two year" olds might be too old for ME's abandonment statute. And, I imagine that the hospital would be aware of any missing child cases like Ayla's, and there would be some type of reporting protocol.

I am back to putting my "thinking cap" on.....

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

I wish it wasn't the case that children have to be under a certain age to use the option of dropping them at a safe place...I wonder if any lives might have been saved if otherwise. I think a lot of young mothers who have issues don't want the stigma of having given away a child, but might do so if they felt they could do it anonymously and not answer a lot of questions. I wonder why there IS an age limit, which varies by state. I hope it is not because the system is not equipped to handle as many children as might be "turned in" but fear that could be the reason...

Good questions:
1.) How many lives could have been (could be) saved if age requirement was modified?
2.) Why is there an age requirement? (Possibly due to your proposed answer above?)

 

[ynotdivein]

I wish it wasn't the case that children have to be under a certain age to use the option of dropping them at a safe place...I wonder if any lives might have been saved if otherwise. I think a lot of young mothers who have issues don't want the stigma of having given away a child, but might do so if they felt they could do it anonymously and not answer a lot of questions. I wonder why there IS an age limit, which varies by state. I hope it is not because the system is not equipped to handle as many children as might be "turned in" but fear that could be the reason...

cluciano, I agree. And I think you are right about the age limits in some states for safe haven protection. You remind me of the Nebraska case where a father whose wife had died dropped off 9 children at a hospital. They were ages 1 to 17. Article here.

Though it appears that ME's law hasn't changed since 2001, pre-dating this 2008 incident, you may well be correct about why some states have strict safe haven limits... Surely in this case, expanding the age range up to say three, might have made a big difference for Ayla and her family...