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

[Steelslady]

Sure I guess anything is possible but consider this..... The child was not dropped off unattended in an empty isolated park, left to roam free. He was being pursued by his father and his "friend". The father claims a jogger witnessed the child running. He claims there were 3 people in front of him that witnessed the child, he claims some man on a bench spoke to him and asked if that was his child after he asked the child where his parents were but the child ignored him and kept running.
Given these "claims" any sensible person would have a very good general direction of the basic area the child would or could be. It's not like someone blindly dropped him from an air plane then landed and began a search from scratch. If the father chased him then he should have been able to pin point a general area to narrow the possibility of where the kid could possibly be. Knowing this, and being familiar with the park.... I just don't see how he could end up in that Creek unnoticed from day 1 much less days later. There are obstacles that would hinder a 6yr old and at least slow him down enough to be able to be found.

Normally I would agree with your post, but I do think that the father did tell them all that he remembered in terms of the last place he saw his son and the direction he believed that Maddox headed. The father did mention that he brought Maddox to other parks in the past because he loved to run. Maddox would run ahead, turn around, and then laugh at his Dad and keep running when he thought his dad was getting close. It sounds like it was a fun game father and son played n several other occasions, to which ended in Maddox eventually either tiring out on his own or maybe he had had enough of the game and wanted to do something else with his Dad. This park was fenced in, perhaps the father didn't expect that Maddox would keep running and not stop nor did he expect Maddox to find a way out of the park on his own?

 

[SeekingJana]

I am so very sorry about the loss of your neighbor, may he rest in peace. I am glad for his family and friends that they finally have an answer to this poor man's disappearance into the water. I can't imagine the torture you all went through all these years.

Thank you very much. We pretty much all knew after a few weeks that he was likely deceased because he was elderly, and also had bouts of disorientation. The heartbreak was not being able to find him and give the family some closure in some measure.

His case and the way it was resolved, finally, taught me a lot about how mysterious life and death can be. They were looking for one man and found two. Searches for Mr. Moore had stopped years ago. I truly believe there are other missing deceased in the Trinity River inside their submerged vehicles and I want to see it searched with sonar and divers if possible.

 

[Steelslady]

Her name is Tinsley It's very difficult, but I'm learning to live life without her. And I'm so sorry for your loss, as well!

Mine is named Angel- she was my youngest daughter's twin. I feel all of your pain. Bless you all.

 

[Stunned]

i wonder why that is? that autistic kids are drawn to water? is it water in general or water that is shiney?

Sensory, they love the feel.

 

[osu]

The woman and her family figured Maddox was on his way back to his parents, or whoever he came with, but later that day, when they heard people were looking for a little boy with blonde hair and an orange shirt, she just knew.

Woman remembers day she saw Maddox Ritch at park

 

[Mrspratcher]

RIP Maddox

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Tinsley, Norah & Angel.....such beautiful names. RIP you sweet, precious little jewels.

 

[bomigabster]

One of my hs pals has a 14yo w/ autism. He’s also non-verbal. Last week, he got out of their locked house, circumventing their alarm system somehow, and they found him (alive) swimming in their pond.

At 3am.

They have no idea how he got out. Terrifying for them. (He was happy as could be bc he loves to swim.)

That is TERRIFYING. I can't imagine what that would be like. I don't even want to try to imagine!
But sadly I can imagine, if it had ended in tragedy, the condemnation and nastiness from strangers who would 'never let that happen' to their child, smh. Despite the fact that with a locked house, alarm system, and what sounds like a caring family, the chances of something like that occurring must be very low.. it still did.

It's something to remember - that no matter how unlikely, even if the chances of something happening is almost 0%, that lends absolutely nothing to the fact that it COULD happen.

*edited for slightly better wording

 

[bomigabster]

In relation to so many people (not necessarily here but SM etc) trying to deduct any fact from the demeanour of Maddox's father in interviews, I can understand why some people think that he 'should' be acting a certain way, but I don't understand how people think it's inconceivable he could act any way BUT the way they think he should.
To me, a flat affect is understandable - Maddox had not been found in any of the recorded interviews thus far, and there was hope that he would still be found safe, which is a hope one might cling to so as to avoid thinking about all of the things that 'could' have happened - tunnel vision on him coming home alive and well could very well keep you going.
Also, those interviews are a few minutes long so are only a snapshot of this man over the time period of almost a week. If you feel like the best way to help your missing child is to get the word out and answer questions then you very well might be able to pull yourself together for interviews and then go to pieces at other times when the cameras aren't around.

 

[CrownCowboy]

The one question I'd like clarified is exactly where along the creek was he found. It was said that it was just off of Old Dallas Rd. and if that's the case, I have a hard time envisioning him walking to that point even though it's only a mile away. The creek does have a walkway but only to the 321 bridge which is right there at the park. After the bridge it turns into a thick, swampy, brush filled mess for much of his projected path.

At first I didn't realize that there was an opening at the North end of the park along Long Creek. I knew they were planning on constructing a greenway that led out of the park but didn't know that the park wasn't fenced in there.

I've been surprised before with other cases as far as where people go and end up and it's certainly possible for him to get there on his own. I just have a hard time seeing how he did it if he indeed was found at the creek close to Old Dallas Rd.

 

[rosesfromangels]

To me, a flat affect is understandable

Respectfully snipped for focus.
Absolutely! The poor man is in shock

 

[Gardener1850]

Jeremy Day and his family live closest to where Ritch was found - about 150 yards away.

“Knowing that he was found right there is kind of unsettling,” said Day.

Day knows the area well and describes the terrain the little boy and searches faced.

“It is very thick down in there. Tall grass, thick brush. It is swampy, and you usually have water down there year-round,” said Day. “The brush is so thick down there it is hard for anyone to walk through there.”

Day searched around his home earlier in the week and even went and searched the area where Ritch was found.

According to Day, there is a trail that runs along the creek that connects the area to Rankin Lake Park. That path passes under U.S. Highway 321.

"Yeah, it goes a pretty good way. You can go down there and pass New Hope (Road),” said Day.

A closer look at where Maddox Ritch was found

 

[rosesfromangels]

Tinsley, Norah & Angel.....such beautiful names. RIP you sweet, precious little jewels.

The next time I look up and see three particularly bright little stars, I will think of Tinsley, Norah, and Angel. : )

 

[heartgoesout]

So the church picnic lady is the only witness that we are aware of that confirms she is certain she saw Maddox?
The other lady is not certain is was Maddox she saw.
Anyone else we're aware of that confirms a sighting?

 

[rosesfromangels]

Deleted because I posted in wrong thread. Hey, it’s been a long week....

 

[heartgoesout]

Was this posted?
"Jeremy Day searched around his home earlier in the week and even went and searched the area where Ritch was found."

A closer look at where Maddox Ritch was found

 

[Quinquin]

The father stated that he took and passed two polygraph tests. Has this been confirmed? I may have missed links or comments regarding these tests. He stated this in an interview before Maddox had been found. I wonder if the test is still pertinent or will they have to perform more polygraph testing since the actually recovery of Maddox? Or is it most likely that LE covered all the pertinent questions of Dad regardless of chronology of search and thereafter finding little Maddox. If he indeed passed the testing, then the next person of interest for me (not a suspect, just his comments) is the park employee guy who commented on Dad's demeanor. I thought it was kind of odd and early for that kind of speculation. MOO

 

[tara83]

The father stated that he took and passed two polygraph tests. Has this been confirmed? I may have missed links or comments regarding these tests. He stated this in an interview before Maddox had been found. I wonder if the test is still pertinent or will they have to perform more polygraph testing since the actually recovery of Maddox? Or is it most likely that LE covered all the pertinent questions of Dad regardless of chronology of search and thereafter finding little Maddox. If he indeed passed the testing, then the next person of interest for me (not a suspect, just his comments) is the park employee guy who commented on Dad's demeanor. I thought it was kind of odd and early for that kind of speculation. MOO

I thought it was totally wrong for the park ranger to make such a statement like that to the public.He had no clue whether the child was in the park or not and it was absurd for him to state that because he didn't see him he must not have been there.Guy is not police or FBI and should leave it to the experts.

 

[Snalldog2]

I hate to even think this, but I
suspect foul play and the body dumped at the creek location . I do not think he traveled that far on foot.
Hope justice is served.

 

[heartgoesout]

The park employee gave his perception of the situation. It was indeed a bold statement. I imagine because it must have bothered him a lot to be searching for a child with a parent who in his mind did not share his urgency or panic.