Found Deceased NC - Maddox Ritch, 6 w/Autism, Gastonia, 22 Sept 2018 #2

[Isabelle]

Could someone who's familiar with the area explain where the creek is in relationship to the park?

And can someone explain if there is a fence around the perimeter of the park? I believe a local earlier mentioned there in only one entrance and exit. Thanks

 

[Crystal Regan]

Look at the north end of the lake at what may appear to you to be a bridge pointed north and slightly east, that is for runoff from the reservoir to divert water to the creek. The lake being screened from the creek isn't the least bit relevant since the creek is easily accessible and close to the track. As in, the child much more likely went into the creek and drowned since that is where he was found.

It has rained nonstop here in East TN for two days. I hope the poor child wasn’t playing or sleeping on the creek bank when water was released from the draining of the lake. Such a sad ending.

 

[DisturbedConcerned]

I gathered that much although what exactly that is hasn't been made clear in this child's case.

In simpler times a mute person couldn't speak or call out to you if they needed help. Does anyone know if this child could or would have if somebody picked him up to run off with him?

@DisturbedConcerned non-verbal is not the same as mute.

 

[Ruby Blue]

Windy? Perhaps if brush was covering him it was blown away in the storm.

We also got a lot rain and wind from Florence and have limbs knocked down from that. It could have caused more debris or also, heaven forbid, if he was still alive last night, he could have gone into the woods for shelter from the storm. I couldn't stop thinking about him as soon as it started.

 

[njbchgal]

I am a mom of a daughter with autism - that poor mom. Wow. Children are fast. I can't believe the dad let him get that far away from him and knowing he can't run well....an enclosed playground would have been a much better and safer environment, especially for a child like Maddox. My choices of where/how I have spent my time with my daughter when she was smaller made me be selective on where we go, especially when I was with her on my own. I am suprised how did both adults not find him? His partner couldn't run fast? Makes you wonder what they were doing when he went out of sight, and waiting an hour until they called 911? Not screaming for strangers to help? Yikes. Just seems so odd doesn't it?

 

[borndem]

It's late, and probably already posted, but this from WRAL in Raleigh, NC:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Local News

'Not the end we hoped for': Authorities find body of missing Gastonia 6-year-old

Tags:

Posted 1:22 p.m. today
Updated 4:51 p.m. today
By Natalie Matthews, WRAL.com editor
Gastonia, N.C. — Authorities said a body believed to be that of a missing 6-year-old Gastonia boy was found Thursday afternoon following an extensive search.
[...]
Crews discovered the body partially underwater at about 1 p.m. off Marietta Street/Old Dallas Highway, a little over one mile outside of the park, authorities said.
[...]
"It is too early to suspect foul play," FBI Supervisor Jason Kaplan said.
-----------------------------
'Not the end we hoped for': Authorities find body of missing Gastonia 6-year-old :: WRAL.com

From Google StreetView. This is from the highway looking toward the park. The creek is difficult to see due to trees but I've marked it with blue dots. The paved trail is marked with red dots. The pavement ends but the trail continues. That section is marked with green dots.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

I am a mom of a daughter with autism - that poor mom. Wow. Children are fast. I can't believe the dad let him get that far away from him and knowing he can't run well....an enclosed playground would have been a much better and safer environment, especially for a child like Maddox. My choices of where/how I have spent my time with my daughter when she was smaller made me be selective on where we go, especially when I was with her on my own. I am suprised how did both adults not find him? His partner couldn't run fast? Makes you wonder what they were doing when he went out of sight, and waiting an hour until they called 911? Not screaming for strangers to help? Yikes. Just seems so odd doesn't it?

It does.

 

[DisturbedConcerned]

By automobile there is only one road used for ingress and egress. By foot, there appear to be several ways to get to the park proper.

And can someone explain if there is a fence around the perimeter of the park? I believe a local earlier mentioned there in only one entrance and exit. Thanks

 

[cuffem]

Ugh- that sounds like he was deliberately being hidden, or am I reading into this too much?

Is it possible with the storm that his body flowed with the current from the lake to this stream/creak?

 

[Curious.1]

@DisturbedConcerned it depends on an individual's theory of mind. For example, one child might be picked up by a stranger and scream - she knows her mom will come. Another child on the spectrum might be picked up, but think that a parent is watching so knows so why scream? Or people around see and do nothing, so they must not care. This is why we talk in my family about "What did YOUR eyes see? What did YOUR ears hear?" when talking about times when my autistic son has been away from me. It teaches him that I don't know what has happened and only will if he tells me. This is a way to help our very vulnerable children keep safe from people with bad intentions. A nonverbal child can almost certainly scream, but might not if they don't know that it will help their situation.

 

[Alethea]

And can someone explain if there is a fence around the perimeter of the park? I believe a local earlier mentioned there in only one entrance and exit. Thanks

In the PC the chief said it would have been possible to get from the park to where Maddox was found by walking. It's part of a "greenway" with open-access walking. He also said there are screens in the creek so he could not have just floated from the lake even with the rain.

 

[Only4Justice]

#BREAKING: At approximately 1 p.m. on September 27, 2018, search crews discovered a body believed to be Maddox Ritch off of Marietta Street/Old Dallas Highway in Gastonia.


Maddox’s parents have been notified of the discovery by law enforcement. @SpecNewsCLT

Hilary Powell on Twitter

I feel so horrible For his mother. I’m behind on news. But she showed truly what it looks like when your child is missing.

 

[DisturbedConcerned]

Are you under the impression many seem to be that the creek is otherwise inaccessible from the park's track which is around 25' from the creeks bank and if the creek was swollen, closer?

It appears to me you could easily walk right to it as there appears to be around a 5' drop in elevation over that 25' to the creek's water level.

Is it possible with the storm that his body flowed with the current from the lake to this stream/creak?

 

[DisturbedConcerned]

My guess is he drowned shortly after he was last seen.

We also got a lot rain and wind from Florence and have limbs knocked down from that. It could have caused more debris or also, heaven forbid, if he was still alive last night, he could have gone into the woods for shelter from the storm. I couldn't stop thinking about him as soon as it started.

 

[cuffem]

My guess is he drowned shortly after he was last seen.

I to believe he fell in and drowned.It can happen fast and without sight or sound.

 

[spiritkiss]

There is a nice concrete path that veers off main path around lake. That path that veers off goes directly to and follows that creek ...all...the way to where his body is found. The concrete path turns to dirt eventually but can clearly be seen on google earth. That was one natural flow area a person or child would follow. I wish this would have turned out different and the child and the family didn't have to go through this. Long road for family. Long hard road.

There is also a dirt rd that comes off the old dallas hwy/marietta right before bridge that goes down directly to where his body is. Very remote and no one would see a person bringing child down there. Another possibility.

Give the dad a pass. He and his family have unbelievable unimaginable horror and pain to live through the rest of there life. I do not think he did anything to his child and the child was seen at the park from what I hear in news reports.

 

[borndem]

From Google StreetView. This is from the highway looking toward the park. The creek is difficult to see due to trees but I've marked it with blue dots. The paved trail is marked with red dots. The pavement ends but the trail continues. That section is marked with green dots.

Thanks, much, @JohnTate90210, for the view shots -- they are always such a big help in understanding these cases!

For someone who knows the area -- Would it be possible for a little boy to see the creek and then walk down to it through what appears to me to be heavy with shrubs and scrubby trees and grasses -- by himself?
If so, and it looks steep to me, I could see a little boy, probably a bit tired from his hike, slip and fall into the creek, panic, cry out in whatever way he could, and not be heard. Or he may have made it down there okay, but to walk into a deep place (for a child his size), or fall in and hit his head on a rock and panic,etc. His location is a long way from the park, seems to me, so even if he cried out -- if he did -- no one would have heard him.

We've lost another one, folks. I had a feeling that this one might turn out positive for a change. I was wrong.
Just dammit.

 

[WillenFan21]

Whaaat? This guy says that "I used to be on probation and my probation officer came up here looking around." Then he says that he pointed to PO to the culvert
under the bridge.

Here is the video of the man who gave the tip. I googled him and what he is convicted for is VERY troubling to say the least. Idk what’s allowed to be posted on here so I’ll just leave the video.

FOX 46 Charlotte

It’s interesting to me how he insists it would be easy for a child to get there on his own, during a red light. Surely someone would have seen him walking there.

Not making any assumptions, I’ve learned my lesson about that. But this is very strange to say that he least.

There we go:

Registered sex offender says his tip helped police find body of Maddox Ritch

FOX 46 Charlotte on Twitter

Oh boy.... and that's all I'm going to say on that until we learn more.

 

[Justice101]

That location to this observer is from the river leaving the lake. Not a tributary. Leaving the spillway....

 

[WillenFan21]

Just remember guys that if any male RSO (BTW I'm generally speaking here) had anything to do with this little boy's death they are going to know right away from the autopsy. I'm hopeful that we will get a lot of answers from the autopsy since its only been a week that Maddox has been missing. Very concerning to me to read that the lake has vents on it so he couldn't have washed into that creek. The only other plausible thing is if it is a matter of him taking off is that he went down the trail but you'd think he'd a survived after 6 days unless he fell and drowned. I don't know.