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

[BetteDavisEyes]

This is strange indeed. The reports lead me to question the stepmom more than anyone. The dad's lie detector test came back inconclusive, but he is very adamant it seems in demanding another one whereas the stepmom refuses to even take one. The dad says the stepmom was told to leave the area by FBI and the police chief says (in my words) the dad is talking a bunch of bologna. I can't help but wonder if the dad said that because that's what the stepmom told him the FBI told her.

In any event, I am sooooooo glad he is found and alive!!!

I hope that authorities don't allow any family access to young Charlie until the boy has been interviewed by all of the LE agencies that have been involved with the investigation. Charlie needs to speak to authorities without being "coached" to say what family members want him to say. I want LE to get to the bottom of Charlie's "disappearance" and find out exactly what happened, why the boy was "missing" for 11 days, whether or not he was being punished and by whom, who was caring for him during his "confinement", etc.

I'm glad that this missing child case has a happy ending, but there are many unanswered questions, to be sure. :moo:

 

[MotherOcean]

Wow, there has rarely been a case where I was more curious to find out what really happened after it was "solved"! This outcome could explain the inconsistent poly results -- that is, he knew what happened to his son and knew he wasn't missing of his own accord, but didn't kill him or harm him or know who did; would be difficult to interpret truthful on no kill or harm or knowledge of who did, but deceitful on knows what happened and claims he probably ran away.

There is some reason that the dad appeared humored on a segment of the news that I posted last night. He was laughing. He was not scared and didn't seem puzzled. He seemed to know his son was o.k.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

June 25, 2014 at 6:01 pm

Detroit boy found alive in family's basement 11 days after he disappeared

George Hunter and Tony Briscoe/The Detroit News

Detroit — With 12-year-old Charlie Bothuell in protective custody after he was found alive Wednesday behind a makeshift barricade in the basement of his family home, just hours after police said he possibly had been killed, the investigation is now focusing on his custodial parents, Detroit Police Chief James Craig said.

“They have a lot of questions to answer,” Craig said shortly after hosting a bizarre press conference outside the family’s Lafayette Park townhouse. The proceedings were interrupted by Charlie’s father, Charlie Bothuell IV, who halted an interview with HLN’s “Nancy Grace” show to insist he didn’t know his son had been hiding in the basement.

“I searched; my wife searched, the police searched,” Bothuell IV said. “Any intimation that I knew he was there is absurd. I’m a nurse. I take care of people.”

Charlie was reported missing 11 days ago, and Detroit police detectives and FBI investigators searched his home in the 1300 block of Nicolet Place four times since then, Craig said...

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140625/METRO01/306250087#ixzz35h8eLuRX

 

[MotherOcean]

How can a 12 year old boy hide behind a 5 gallon drum? A 5 gallon drum is small! We use them for fishing bait! How could it be used to barricade anything?

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

dad gets extra points for using "intimation" correctly.

I am thinking now... balloon boy hoax? Only because nothing else makes sense.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

must have been a 50 gallon drum, no?

 

[MotherOcean]

June 25, 2014 at 6:01 pm

Detroit boy found alive in family's basement 11 days after he disappeared

Detroit — With 12-year-old Charlie Bothuell in protective custody after he was found alive Wednesday behind a makeshift barricade in the basement of his family home, just hours after police said he possibly had been killed, the investigation is now focusing on his custodial parents, Detroit Police Chief James Craig said.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140625/METRO01/306250087#ixzz35h8eLuRX

Bolded and snipped by me.

I think that says everything. IMO.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

How can a 12 year old boy hide behind a 5 gallon drum? A 5 gallon drum is small! We use them for fishing bait! How could it be used to barricade anything?

You're right. A 5-gallon is this:

I was picturing like a 25- or 50-gallon in my head. Maybe someone misspoke.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

must have been a 50 gallon drum, no?

Chief Craig mentioned something about boxes piled up, too. Sounds like someone built a "fort" around Charlie. :moo:

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Bolded and snipped by me.

I think that says everything. IMO.

Charlie needs to be kept away from family members who might try to influence his interviews with law enforcement. A 12-year-old can speak for himself and tell authorities exactly what was going on, the reasons for the "confinement", and who is responsible. This youngster has run away previously. Time for Child Protective Services to get involved. :moo:

 

[MotherOcean]

Time for Child Protective Services to get involved. :moo:

Yes, definitely! I am so happy he was found alive and safe. He has a chance now to get the intervention that is needed for him to get some help, whatever the situation.

 

[sophiebelle]

If the 50 gallon drum was empty, it's not the least bit heavy. If it contained liquids or junk, it would be heavy. I just had one hauled away.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

I kinda assumed he was IN it. (the 50 gallon drum...)

Someone's in trouble. Now we wait to see who that might be.

 

[MotherOcean]

All I have seen reported is that it was a five gallon drum, but that makes little sense so I assume it was a fifty gallon one. (The police chief said "five gallon" drum in the interview with the reporters).

I don't believe that the father had hidden his son. I think he knew (or strongly believed) he had run away. I hope this family can get some help and move forward. MOO.

Edit to add: Just watched video with police chief. Charlie was not found behind the barricade until LE looked into the barricade. In other words, Charlie remained hidden behind the barricade until LE found him. He did not come out or reveal himself on his own. So, he was either intentionally hiding from them (could he have thought it was his family entering the basement?) or he was unable to reveal himself. That is so odd.

 

[JLSChook]

Sorry if the 5/50 gallon drum thingy was my fault. I was trying to type fast during the presser and could have forgotten the "0"

I edited my post. :blushing:


ETA---Just saw Mother Ocean's post above and it was the police chief that said "5". I should have realized that was too small!

 

[Annie1004]

On Nancy Grace now - she just told the father that Charlie was found in his basement alive. Dad is in shock and confused. Dad said the FBI, dogs, he, his wife, etc. had already searched the basement. WTH??

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

OMG!!! Dad finds out on NANCY GRACE that his son is alive. I'm calling Bull frickin' @#$% on this!

Dad says that his cell phone is dead. WTF!! Your son is missing, but you don't keep your cell phone charged in case you get a call?

:drama:

I wonder if the appearance on NG that followed the presser this afternoon was a sting by LE to blow the lid off this (whatever it was)?

WOW! Just WOW!

 

[1&2&3]

How did search dogs miss him? And, wonder if barricade has been there the entire time he has been missing, why police decided just today to take it down?

 

[1&2&3]

On Nancy Grace now - she just told the father that Charlie was found in his basement alive. Dad is in shock and confused. Dad said the FBI, dogs, he, his wife, etc. had already searched the basement. WTH??

Sounds like the Jon Benet Ramsey case - basement already checked.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

On Nancy Grace now - she just told the father that Charlie was found in his basement alive. Dad is in shock and confused. Dad said the FBI, dogs, he, his wife, etc. had already searched the basement. WTH??

I didn't think that Dad looked shocked and/or confused. I honestly believe that this was a set-up by LE. Dad looked like a :dramaqueen: Why didn't he take off the mike, get out of his chair, and leave immediately to see his son or find out what was going on? Not. Buying. It. Dad knew that his son was alright. :moo: