GUILTY MI - Charlie Bothuell, 12, Detroit, 16 June 2014

Welcome to Websleuths!
Click to learn how to make a missing person's thread

DNA Solves
DNA Solves
DNA Solves
I am probably in the minority, and could totally be wrong about this, but I really don't believe the father had anything to do with this. His emotions don't feel false to me; yes, he seems a bit dramatic or odd at times, but I will reserve judgement.

I have no idea how I would feel if cops told me at one moment my child was dead, then later a (rather obnoxious IMHO) "news" anchor told me on live television that my child was alive. He seemed genuinely shocked to me – and why not go to a commercial break and allow that father to receive that information in private, or allow him to immediately go talk to LE? Why "surprise him" and then judge how he reacts to that news with millions watching instead of allowing him privacy and/or time with family/friends around? That seems cruel to me. The father seemed incredibly confused and overwhelmed in that moment, just like many of us were when we watched. IDK – it just seemed rather tasteless and unnecessary to do that to the parent of a missing child, especially one who has been told that his child is potentially a victim of homicide.

A snippet from an article I read found here; I didn't see some of this information posted before, so forgive me if I am being redundant. Emphasis is mine –

“On Tuesday, Bothuell appeared on the Nancy Grace cable TV show. He described an exhaustive search that began when he received a call from his wife at about 9:45 p.m. June 14, saying Charlie had left from their home in at about 9 p.m. Bothuell was at his office in Southfield — he's a registered nurse with his own company — trying to complete some work so he would have that Sunday, Father's Day, to spend with Charlie, another son, 14, and daughter, 10 months old.

Bothuell said he came home from work and called police. He said the response from a dispatcher was dismissive and disrespectful, and he said it took three calls to actually make the report.

Police showed up sometime around midnight, Bothuell said.

Bothuell said he was asked to take a Detroit police lie detector test but refused, noting that he had been questioned for eight hours by officers, and he said they were not truthful when they told him what to expect


That aside, there are a LOT of bizarre aspects of this case. I wouldn't be surprised if someone close to or in the family was involved ( the stepmother is getting a hairy eyeball from me – not accusing, just a feeling/reaction ). Maybe the pressure of the police switching to treating the investigation as a possible homicide forced the party or parties involved in whatever happened to Charlie to freak out, abandon and/or hide him in the basement, maybe threatened him not to make noise or do anything to draw attention to him. I doubt that he was there through ALL of the searches by LE, FBI, family, cadaver dogs, volunteers, etc.; seems more like he was hidden there in haste.

On AlJazeera they mentioned that he was found with food and drink – "chicken" was mentioned specifically, but I haven't found an article online that mentions what he was found with aside from the general "food, drink, and bedding" description. The fact that both were found with him makes me feel like whoever did this had some kind of feelings of sympathy and/or care.

I know it's been said several times by several people that he has run away before – maybe an older family member (a sibling, cousin, etc.) was helping Charlie hide from someone or a perceived threat, and once police started treating this as a possible homicide, that person helped Charlie "hide" in a location where they knew he'd be safe and found. From what I have read, he seems like an intelligent child with a high standard for achievement and performance; whether that "need to succeed" attitude was too much pressure from family, pressure he internalized himself, or a mixture of both, that could have possibly triggered him to have run away or to stage this with the help of someone else. I remember how intense the pressure to do exceedingly well as a child can be, and it could certainly make a stressed-out kid runaway or do something really irrational. Maybe this was a cry for help from him? If he was at home alone with the stepmother when he disappeared, it makes me really wonder about her the most. Like I said – JMO, just a feeling; I really hope nothing nefarious was going on here.

I really don't know what to think just yet. Regardless, I just hope Charlie is in a safe, secure place, and being given all the love, aid, and support he needs. I am glad this story had a much more positive ending than the one we believed we were headed to. I hope that Charlie is given all he needs, and that he is able to articulate to police what happened so whatever justice is needed is served.
 
NG seems to believe this dad per her phone interview this morning. I am still going round and round on what has happened here. Didn't the family know about the so-called passages between buildings? If all these people searched the basement, and there was food found, why didn't they see his "nest" before now? LE is saying nothing new on what was found I guess.
 
I remember reading that one of the family members mentioned the passages, but now I can't find the exact link. The specific statement may have been removed from the article.
 
I know for me, personally, I would immediately break down into a cathartic reaction, to finally let go of all the fear and stress, and the utter joy that my child is ok. Sobbing. It should have been a very emotional moment, in my opinion.
 
Why in the world did NG know he was found before the father? :waitasec:
 
Donjeta, Think about a time you've lost your keys and they've shown up somewhere you could have sword you looked. Don't you feel completely dumbfounded when you know you already checked that area? Now think about how you'd react if you found a missing person alive where you knew you'd looked before. IMO like I've said before he's totally shocked and doesn't know how to digest the information. Do you see where I'm coming from/why I don't think his reaction is fake?

OT - CarolinaMoon, are those your cats in your avatar? They're sooooo adorable!!! I have an orange cat and a black cat too :heart:

Not really, it's happened to me too many times that I'm kind of expecting my keys to turn up somewhere I already thought I looked before.

That said, keys are a totally different thing from a missing child who might have been dead or alive and I don't see the relevance to be honest
 
His phone is not going to charge in the car unless its running. IMO
 
Why in the world did NG know he was found before the father? :waitasec:

JMO LE wanted him on cameras when he was told.

NG usually gets days old information as breaking.
 
IDK – it just seemed rather tasteless and unnecessary to do that to the parent of a missing child, especially one who has been told that his child is potentially a victim of homicide.

SBM & BBM: I totally agree. It was tasteless to do that on live tv, but then that's the NG way, imo. I rarely watch her, but I tuned in last night (and to JVM before that...2 excruciating hours, lol) because they were covering another case that I'm following.

Excellent post, bearfossils! :tyou:
 
I know for me, personally, I would immediately break down into a cathartic reaction, to finally let go of all the fear and stress, and the utter joy that my child is ok. Sobbing. It should have been a very emotional moment, in my opinion.

Absolutely.

I grew up with a sister that is a compulsive liar, she would lie about stuff that she didn't even need to lie about. She had the same dumb look on her face as this guy when ever she got caught.
 
I know for me, personally, I would immediately break down into a cathartic reaction, to finally let go of all the fear and stress, and the utter joy that my child is ok. Sobbing. It should have been a very emotional moment, in my opinion.


I think a lot of people would expect a more emotional response, and are bothered by how he reacted. One thing to keep in mind is that most men are raised or conditioned to believe that strong emotional reactions, emotional outbursts, or other very obvious/powerful expressions of emotion are symbolic of "weakness". Many are taught by either family or society that men are supposed to be stoic; that men are supposed to suppress or hold in emotions, especially crying or anything that could be construed as "hysterical". He may be used to keeping his emotions in check, or he may be trying his hardest to be level-headed and some kind of stability or strength for his family. I am not saying this is an excuse, but rather, a perspective to consider.

Everyone reacts to extreme emotions, grief, etc., differently, and while I think it's only natural to seek answers or clues in the behaviors of the family, we have to also respect the fact that unless we have been in a situation like that, we really don't know how we would behave. It's easy to make assumptions about how someone SHOULD act, but like I said, we don't know all the factors that affect how a person behaves in such extremely emotional and traumatizing situations. His shock seemed genuine to me. He's been searching for his lost son, had just recently been told the investigation was moving into the realm of possible homicide, and was probably not only trying to digest all the emotions and thoughts that manifested from all of that, but also trying to be as calm and stable as he could be on national television so he's as effective/helpful as possible in raising awareness about his missing child. And then he's blindsided by NG on live television with the vague statement that they "found his son"? That's a lot to absorb in an instant, and I think his sort-of speechless and stunned was response wasn't shady or strange. Then again, JMO!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Not really, it's happened to me too many times that I'm kind of expecting my keys to turn up somewhere I already thought I looked before.

That said, keys are a totally different thing from a missing child who might have been dead or alive and I don't see the relevance to be honest

Of course keys are different than a missing child. I'm not literally comparing Charlie to a missing pair of keys. It's just an example of something that most people experience that's easier to relate to. Regardless of how many times it's happened, most people will still feel a sense of disbelief once they turn up in a spot you've already checked.
 
I still want to know where the child was the whole time. MSM reports that the house was searched multiple times with dogs by LE (some sources say there were 4 searches) -- there's no way he was simply hiding behind a makeshift wall that whole time and no one noticed. MSM is also reporting that the boy was not restrained in any way and was only initially invisible because he was intentionally crouching behind the "barricade". Clearly the child could have "escaped" at any time if he'd wanted to. (Even if the reports are wrong and the tub was a 50 gallon tub, a 12 year old could easily move and/or climb over it depending on whether it was full.)

I think this may be a hoax that dad was in on, but there's nothing about this that suggests abuse in my mind (except insofar as, if dad has this much of a screw loose, it could clearly be a bad environment for a child).

ETA: Even if LE is correct that the child probably couldn't have built the barricade himself, it is possible it was the pre-existing way that stuff was stacked in the basement and the child just climbed over and hid behind it.
 
SBM & BBM: I totally agree. It was tasteless to do that on live tv, but then that's the NG way, imo. I rarely watch her, but I tuned in last night (and to JVM before that...2 excruciating hours, lol) because they were covering another case that I'm following.



Excellent post, bearfossils! :tyou:


I am with you on NG: I think it's disgusting the way she treats people on her show, and no matter how many times I see that awful cheesy commercial of her talking about how she "speaks for the victims" or whatever, I feel like the only thing she's really interested in is ratings. They could have just as easily cut to commercial and given him time to learn that news, contact family/LE, and process everything; then get his reaction on television before allowing him to be back with his loved ones. I just was really bothered that they announced that to him on live television in the way they did. If it happened to me, I would be incredibly confused and stunned too!

And of course, not related, but thank you for your kind words! :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I heard a blurb this morning on tv and didn't get the whole sentence but I could swear I heard the wife has not been located since this went down. Anyone hear this?
 
http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/25870992/missing-12-year-old-boy-found-alive

"Charlie's father and stepmother have been questioned by police and told Fox 2's Taryn Asher they were angered by how they were treated. Monique Bothuell, Charlie's stepmother, says she refused to take a polygraph test. The child apparently went missing in her care, upset she was going to tell his father he didn't finish his required workout."

Did anyone else read that last sentence and scratch your head? What the heck? What 12 year old has a required workout? The fact that he was "upset" because she was going to tell his dad he didn't finish his required workout speaks volumes to me if that's what really happen which of course, like everybody else, I'm doubting.

This story has been crazy since day one and the twists just keep on coming.

I'm so glad Charlie has been found alive and hopefully he feels comfortable enough to tell the police what actually happened.
 
His phone is not going to charge in the car unless its running. IMO

Not necessarily, depends on his car. In my vehicle, a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, I can use one of two ports to charge my phone - the standard cigarette lighter outlet that only charges when the vehicle is on or the charging port that charges even when the vehicle is off. This is in a 12yr old vehicle, so I would imagine a charging port is more common in newer vehicles. JMO.
 
Of course keys are different than a missing child. I'm not literally comparing Charlie to a missing pair of keys. It's just an example of something that most people experience that's easier to relate to. Regardless of how many times it's happened, most people will still feel a sense of disbelief once they turn up in a spot you've already checked.

Keys don't generally walk about on their own though and miraculously appear somewhere that I've already checked very carefully, they'll be where I left them and I just overlooked them.

A missing child can easily be in place A now and in places B, C, D, E and F later. They're able to return home although my lost keys aren't. Even a body can be moved.

I think it was disbelief that the game was up.
 
Keys don't generally walk about on their own though and miraculously appear somewhere that I've already checked very carefully, they'll be where I left them and I just overlooked them.

A missing child can easily be in place A now and in places B, C, D, E and F later. They're able to return home although my lost keys aren't. Even a body can be moved.

I think it was disbelief that the game was up.

Are you just being contrarian here? I feel like I'm being very clear with what I'm trying to get across. I get that you don't believe the father is innocent and I'm not trying to force you to agree with me, I'm trying to at least help you (and others) understand my point of view using examples that people experience in their everyday lives.
 

Members online

Online statistics

Members online
181
Guests online
1,809
Total visitors
1,990

Forum statistics

Threads
605,569
Messages
18,189,117
Members
233,443
Latest member
Don7777
Back
Top