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

[tara83]

That’s kind of a harsh thing to say given we don’t know many of the actual facts of this case. We don’t know what the dad and girlfriend were doing. The dad didn’t call 911, the friend didn’t call 911. This guy did. For all we know this guy was sitting by the entrance to the park while on duty that day. We don’t know for 100% certainty that Maddox was there that day. No other witnesses have said so either. The cops have not said why they think he was there, so we don’t know for sure. Maybe the cops said that to get the dad’s guard down.

The woman and her mother at the church picnic were positive they saw him.Why would they lie about it?

 

[Gardener1850]

A statement was given by a disinterested person who was at the park to the affect that, Madddox had run upon them and "his mother" caught up with him speaking to him. Maddox did not speak to "his mother" and I don't recall if they stated he ran off or went with "his mother".

I think you must be mixing up the story of the woman who was walking with HER mother and her daughter and they all saw him. The woman's mother spoke to Maddox, nothing was said about his mother being there. I just posted it above. That is 3 people who saw him.

 

[SuperTmo]

BBM. This is not true. Others saw him there:




Woman remembers day she saw Maddox Ritch at park

Thank you. To whomever I just asked for a link to this, ignore because I didn’t read far enough before asking!

So yeah. If this happened the way dad wants it to sound, she would have seen Dad running and yelling for the kid to stop. The trail lake is almost fully visible. He wasn’t running full force. He wandered away when he wasn’t watched and that is just so sad.

 

[SuperTmo]

The woman and her mother at the church picnic were positive they saw him.Why would they lie about it?

Calm down. I never said anyone lied about seeing him. I didn’t see that article until someone just posted it.

 

[Gardener1850]

Thank you. To whomever I just asked for a link to this, ignore because I didn’t read far enough before asking!

So yeah. If this happened the way dad wants it to sound, she would have seen Dad running and yelling for the kid to stop. The trail lake is almost fully visible. He wasn’t running full force. He wandered away when he wasn’t watched and that is just so sad.

Have you been there before? It doesn't look like the entire trail around the lake is visible from all places from the drone footage posted earlier in the thread (I'll try to go back and find it). The lake is huge. And I thought there were other trails that went through some woods as well. We don't know what part of the park the three women were in and what part of the park Maddox ran from his dad. He might have run to the opposite side of the park and perhaps dad was looking for him in the wrong place at that moment. Maddox might have thought he was playing a game and when everyone started yelling his name he might have hidden. We just don't know and I think it's wrong to accuse the father of lying when the FBI have said all indications are his account of event is accurate. JMO.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

If the park ranger hadn't called 911, would Maddox's dad or the girlfriend have called police? Why did the park ranger call for help instead of Mr. Ritch? I'm still confused about the lack of urgency to locate the missing child

 

[Gardener1850]

Check out this video. Its Arial view of the lake and park. The lake is friggin huge!

See drone footage of the park above. Look at around the .54 mark and you can see how the trail bends and the trees block view of the rest of it ahead. He could have run ahead and then went into the woods on the side of the trail.

 

[DisturbedConcerned]

From the sketchy verbal description and cross referencing Mr. Dey with the property assessments, it is unclear if he was found west of New Hope Road/279 or prior to it.

If prior to 279, I can only find one resident, not named Dey, fitting the decription of 'living closest to where he was found' and at ~150 yards.

West of 279 there are several residential units, with none I found listed as owned by any Dey, within 150 yards of the creek but, none of them would be "closest" to any point in the creek.

[QUOTE="Gardener1850, post: 14432602, member: 172753"]A closer look at where Maddox Ritch was found[/QUOTE]

 

[Gardener1850]

If the park ranger hadn't called 911, would Maddox's dad or the girlfriend have called police? Why did the park ranger call for help instead of Mr. Ritch? I'm still confused about the lack of urgency to locate the missing child

I think they were still looking and thinking he would be found soon. Also the park ranger really didn't know how long it had been. IIRC, at first he said it had been 30 minutes then 40 minutes, then an hour. And IMO had Maddox's dad called 911 right away people would criticize him for calling too soon as well. They would say it's suspicious. He cannot win no matter when 911 was called. JMO.

 

[DisturbedConcerned]

See drone footage of the park above.

The "lake" really isn't huge. It is 80 acres and about 1800' across at its widest point. It is a watershed reservoir more akin to a large pond than a lake proper with a river flowing into and out of it..

 

[JC40]

I have no reason to doubt what they say they saw. I do however, have some questions

She says he came up behind them on the path around the lake, and her mom tried to talk to him.
“I can remember her looking over and asking him ‘hey buddy are you tired?’ because he had just been skipping, jogging, being a kid,”


"How did they know he had been skipping and jogging if he came up behind them?"


“I knew immediately that was him, because I can remember seeing him, and then he was in front of me. I can just remember it to a T,” Sheppard said.

If maddox was then in front of her
did they see his dad chasing him? Did he pass them?
Did they her Dad shouting Maddox's name.? I think that would be etched on any ones mind if they did hear that.

ETA

If not, why?

Because believe me, if i lost site of my son i would be screaming from the top of my voice.


???

 

[SuperTmo]

Have you been there before? It doesn't look like the entire trail around the lake is visible from all places from the drone footage posted earlier in the thread (I'll try to go back and find it). The lake is huge. And I thought there were other trails that went through some woods as well. We don't know what part of the park the three women were in and what part of the park Maddox ran from his dad. He might have run to the opposite side of the park and perhaps dad was looking for him in the wrong place at that moment. Maddox might have thought he was playing a game and when everyone started yelling his name he might have hidden. We just don't know and I think it's wrong to accuse the father of lying when the FBI have said all indications are his account of event is accurate. JMO.

The trail around the entire lake is 1.5 miles. That is not a huge lake by any stretch of the imagination. It’s really not more than a large pond. The footage I’ve seen doesn’t have a part where you can’t see most of the whole path. The part obscured is very small and if he disappeared off the trail there, you’d be able to catch up quickly and look in that specific area.

The dad said he watched the boy run off and was following him. There were 3 people on the trail and he “lost sight of him” there. Why wouldn’t they have pointed him the right direction? Why would he be searching in the wrong part of the park if he watched him run off? The cops have said they believe Maddox was in the park and ran off. They didn’t say they believe the story of how it happened.

It’s ok to believe part of his story but not all of it. If my child got away at a park because I wasn’t watching her the way I should have been, I would not want to admit that either.

 

[Gardener1850]

The trail around the entire lake is 1.5 miles. That is not a huge lake by any stretch of the imagination. It’s really not more than a large pond. The footage I’ve seen doesn’t have a part where you can’t see the whole path.

Did you look at the drone footage above? See the .54 mark there is a bend where you cannot see the rest of the trail because of the trees. If the boy ran ahead there he could have cut through the trees and come out on the trail somewhere else where the women saw him.

 

[Gardener1850]

<modsnip>

What is the point of criticizing a grieving dad and accusing him of lying about how it happened if you don't think he harmed his child? Do you think he should be arrested for neglect? And as Tricia always asks, would you say what you are saying here to the father's face if you met him?

 

[DisturbedConcerned]

I have no reason to doubt what they say they saw. I do however, have some questions

She says he came up behind them on the path around the lake, and her mom tried to talk to him.
“I can remember her looking over and asking him ‘hey buddy are you tired?’ because he had just been skipping, jogging, being a kid,”

This doesn't sound like a full bore sprint intent on evading his guardians.


"How did they know he had been skipping and jogging if he came up behind them?"

I'd be willing to assume they head his running steps break into the otherwise peaceful quiet although if you would think they would have mentioned somebody hollering for him further commanding their mindful attention.


“I knew immediately that was him, because I can remember seeing him, and then he was in front of me. I can just remember it to a T,” Sheppard said.

This suggests she saw and likely heard him running up behind her. If I am in public, I am mindful of noise coming from behind me.

If maddox was then in front of her
did they see his dad chasing him? Did he pass them?

Best I can tell from the statement is Brooke acknowledged her mother seeing and speaking to him.

Did they her Dad shouting Maddox's name.? I think that would be etched on any ones mind if they did hear that.

???

Agreed with the last supposition although people's minds pay attention to all manners of things and seem sometime to not catch such details.

 

[SuperTmo]

See drone footage of the park above. Look at around the .54 mark and you can see how the trail bends and the trees block view of the rest of it ahead. He could have run ahead and then went into the woods on the side of the trail.

Then why was he running around on the trail looking for him instead of in the woods??

 

[MyTinkieGirl]

I'm not thinking anything nefarious happened, either. I just think he may not be telling the truth about the way things happened. Nothing wrong with thinking that may be the case, IMO. His interview with the TV station on the 1st Thread, Page 45, Post 888 is just odd, for lack of wanting to use another term. No mention of trouble with feet/running. Also, I am NOT talking about his urgency, or lack there of, nor his emotional state, or lack there of, either.
I'm of the belief that he was "busy" with the GF and not paying attention to his son - as he should have. No "ands, ifs or buts" about that, again, IMO. It's allegedly the first time to this park, and, your son is autistic. Maddox is not familiar with the park. Neither is dad. A good amount of people have mentioned the fact that kids run like the wind, and, some alluding to autistic children, especially, can do so.
A child running, skipping and enjoying the day, with a dad, supposedly, not all that far behind chasing after him - may I assume dad was yelling for Maddox to stop, no matter how far he was behind??? Dad also says no one saw Maddox or said anything - except for a man on a bench. How does that happen? People may have seen Maddox, did they then see/hear dad yelling for his son?
I'm just saying, IMO, dad was paying more attention to the new GF. It's far easier to say you were chasing after your child and he got away, than saying you were distracted by your GF and lost track of your son - who was found deceased and who is autistic and should have had your full attention.
Now. Who would want to be the most hated man in the world if they didn't have to be? Maybe Cooper Harris' dad can tell him.
Always IMO.

 

[Gardener1850]

Then why was he running around on the trail looking for him instead of in the woods??

The child ran out of his sight. Perhaps he could not see him on the trail when he went in the woods. Obviously you have never been to this park since you haven't answered that question. Would you say the things you are saying to Maddox's grieving parents if you met them? Would you ask them if they really were not telling the truth despite the FBI saying their account seems accurate and the father saying he passed a polygraph? Do you want the dad to be charged with neglect?

 

[DisturbedConcerned]

It is helpful to look at the park with the google earth timeline slid back to the next available imagery date.

Current is March 2018 after the winter kill.

Next available is Sept. 2017, this same time last year and after a full growing season.

It paints a much different picture as far as what might or might not obstruct views.

Is there a link to this person’s statement? I haven’t seen it and would like to read / listen to it. Thanks!

ETA assuming you meant the church picnic people, someone posted it, so disregard!. The details about it are not quite the same though so if you have a different witness statement about Maddox and “his mom” i’d be interested in seeing that still

The child ran out of his sight. Perhaps he could not see him on the trail when he went in the woods. Obviously you have never been to this park since you haven't answered that question. Would you say the things you are saying to Maddox's grieving parents if you met them? Would you ask them if they really were not telling the truth despite the FBI saying their account seems accurate and the father saying he passed a polygraph? Do you want the dad to be charged with neglect?

 

[MyTinkieGirl]

This is an answer to Gardner1850 post:
The child ran out of his sight. Perhaps he could not see him on the trail when he went in the woods. Obviously you have never been to this park since you haven't answered that question. Would you say the things you are saying to Maddox's grieving parents if you met them? Would you ask them if they really were not telling the truth despite the FBI saying their account seems accurate and the father saying he passed a polygraph? Do you want the dad to be charged with neglect?

IMO, yeppers!! People haven't come forward saying they heard dad yelling for Maddox . He says he went one way, his GF went "the other". I can only "assume" they were yelling and frantically asking people about Maddox, no? DAD said he took TWO lie detector tests and passed them. When do people get told they "passed" the test?
Again. Dad's not giving the whole story, IMO. He neglected his son by not paying attention to his autistic/non verbal son who, supposedly, is having his first trip to this particular park.

<modsnipped unfounded speculation; not victim friendly>
Always IMO.

ETA: The quote thing isn't working for me. Sorry.