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

[borndem]

I'm not sure the water is where he's at. If the dad lost sight of him running, others around and in the water would have seen him go in the water, wouldn't they?

Welcome to Websleuths, Anicole!!​

 

[Amonet]

I don't like the way the father sounded in that interview with GMA. Said he feels guilty and then adds something about being able to go into his house and lie down in a bed and then says while his son MIGHT be out there in the woods. I really wonder what "it" was that he regrets happened.

Maddox 'might' be out there in the woods, he 'might' be dead at the bottom of the lake, he 'might' have been abducted.

I don't think that is a problem word to use in that context.

 

[osu]

Not sure if this interview was already posted. Video at link.


Park employee who called 911 describes first hour of search for missing 6-year-old

 

[gitana1]

A reported asked him about this and he answered hesitantly that diabetes kinda slows him down running.

It sounds to me like he's feeling super guilty. He let his child get too far away from him. Now we find he maybe couldn't run that fast so allowing him to get that far ahead was a huge mistake. And he probably feels terrible and ashamed.

It's easy to get complacent though.

Poor kid. I wish he had been on a harness. I know some people hate that. They're popular in certain parts of Europe.

You've got a runner with autism? A harness could help keep him safe.

Sigh.

What about the possibility that Maddox hid ina vehicle in the parking lot? Some children with autism also like to hide and do not necessarily respond to hearing their name called. I can picture Maddox hiding from dad in a car or truck bed and silently waiting for dad to find him. He could have crawled into a pick-up's tool box or dog kennel or into the back of an SUV and stayed there never making a sound. If he did and he didn't get out of the vehicle until that person arrived home, Maddox could be anywhere. Sure, it's a far-fetched idea but if you have experience with children with autism, you know that the improbable does happen.

Ugh. That is NOT far-fetched. It's terrible though because it has indeed happened. And the kids have died, hiding in a trunk and not able to get out. A child with autism might not understand the trunk release latch they install these days.

 

[IceIce9]

I havenlt been able to catch up on thus thread, so forgive me if this was already posted.

The 9-1-1 call from park employee:

Longer version:

I hadn’t been able to listen to the 911 call until just now, as I was at work when I saw it posted on twitter.

I believe (if I heard it correctly) when the dispatcher asked the park employee how long the child had been missing, he mentioned that “we” have been searching for him? So that would mean the park employee had searched too, before calling 911.

I am somewhat surprised that the park’s “missing child” protocol didn’t state that 911 should be called immediately to report a missing child.

Not blaming the park employee here as I am sure he was following protocol for the park.

I have worked on safety and/or security teams for sporting, charity, and other events at various parks and venues, in several different states. The “missing child” protocols at all events and locations include “Call 911 immediately” the instant the words “lost child” are spoken. Call 911 first, then search.

 

[sun16]

If Maddox was running to hide and fell in the water, wouldn't his body be found by now? I mean, wouldn't he just float up to the top of he simply fell in? Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I really am wondering about this.

Not always. Sink first, then gases cause body to rise if not obstructed.

 

[spiritkiss]

I went to google earth. It would help to know the exact location and direction father was walking. I assume by the dock (second dock, not first at entrance) that is further away from the entrance on left side of park. Only due to 911 caller said dock. Father saying he was toward backside of lake. I do not know the spot though.

Now google earth is very good for seeing the paths of least resistance and seeing a path that would be a natural way to go. you find a flow I would call it. Couple of years ago I picked the exact location a missing elderly man walked away from his home doing it this way pretty easily. He was found passed away due to trying to cross the creek. drowned but it was the natural way to go for him when looking at it from above. It was the location I circled on my map.

When you see creek boundary's as well as a deep drainage ditch, those are things that direct a person walking to a natural flowing path. Doesn't mean that is all the time but if you have to pick one path to try first thats how I do it when I look at terrain and any obstacles natural or manmade. A child doesn't have the concept of.....Hmmm looks like I only have hour of light left and temps going to drop. I need to look for shelter. They do not think like that. So when it got dark and when it got cold is when he tried to lay down and curl up in fetal position close to where that discomfort started happening or if there was something to get into that happened to be right there then maybe that. Kids do not understand hypothermia, death, danger like adults do. They understand fear, discomfort, hunger, thirst, feeling lonely, physical pain or discomfort AT the time its happening. Its not anticipated ahead of time like adults. That says alot when looking for a child versus adult.

When Im looking at this map and knowing he wasn't sighted outside the park, (the business cctvs will tell that) I see alot of wooded areas he could go in and to. But since there are major highway and side rds that he may have likely been seen by or crossing and wasnt seen, leads me to take those areas and directions out of the equation, at least for now. So that leaves the roadway on the left towards back of lake that goes to major sideroad and then little more towards back left you'll see a very deep water runoff or ditch running up and away from walkway. Very deep. Thats another natural resistance so that guides him to another path of least resistance. You keep going like that and it leads you to much smaller general areas that I would look first. Then next search would be the area with next higher resistant directions etc. If I guessed from limited info on exactly where dad was and the direction (Im guessing left side of lake right before or after the 2nd dock on left from the entrance) That he went into the woods on the farthest end of the pond. I do not see any fences but google earth may not show them. Fences depending how high would bring those options down quite a bit of where he could have went minus opening in fence anywhere along the line. 5days complicates it by alot. To much time to wander, walk. Im afraid that there is so many water sources around the park and inside the park that if he loved water and would get into it that that would be best bet. I hope not.

The police are looking in the storage boxes in the parking lot left of the lake. Thats one of the very least resistance areas due to the roadway leading to main sideroad on left. The business is back against the park boundary. I agree with that. Kids would love to go into those and explore. Look at google maps and look for least resistance in obstacles natural and man made and look at traveled highway boundary. Go with terrain and obstacle flow for a human being. Try it. It works. The google earth park location has bad graphics photo. Its sometimes like a drawing painting. Weird so the trees and whats in the woods around the lake are not able to be made out for detail.

Where do you see that natural flow a child would run walk from last known location. Even if guessed at by limited info.?

 

[LietKynes]

Lake is being drained. FBI has invited underwater recovery response team w special equipment to search underwater environments. Search that happened today was slightly different: it was an evidence search, not just search for Maddox.

Morgan Fogarty on Twitter

Re. the bolded bit. That sounds ominous.
I'm feeling this could be more like a recovery and not a rescue.
Sorry to sound so depressing--- but this is a six year old --and one with special needs, at that. (referring to the post about autism and non verbal-- although it's been said he can talk-- but will not speak to strangers) It's been 5 days now.

<modsnip: removed quoted postd and discussion of rumor post>

But if your kid goes missing-- you do not care about anything else. Not your living situation. Not that you may have been distracted and forgot to watch Maddox. Not the company you were keeping.

My reaction would've been to call 911 sooner than an hour or more. Esp. with a special needs child. I would have been beyond frantic.
Nothing else would matter.

As far as the SAR dogs-- I've posted that before here, and someone replied that a person at the park saw someone with dogs later that day as the search commenced. I'm assuming this was before people were asked to stay away from the park ?

Thanks for clarifying. I admit I read just that part and had an oh crap moment.
I’m feeling better about the dad. Still on the fence about such a strange story though.
Dad says Maddox was running towards parking lot. This is more worrisome than the lake I think.

BBM

This. ^^^
Worrisome to me as I thought Maddox was last seen in the park by the lake/trail, running after the jogger ?

When did this change ? Or was it posted and I missed it ?
The first explanation was that he lost sight of Maddox in the park as he (Maddox) ran after a jogger.
Did they check the cars and under/behind vehicles in the parking lot ?
If so-- the lake and wooded area of the park may not be where to look.
If Maddox was by the parking lot, an abduction would seem more probable ; with cars coming and going.

 

[heartgoesout]

Not sure if this interview was already posted. Video at link.


Park employee who called 911 describes first hour of search for missing 6-year-old

He too seems like he feels something just ain’t right.

 

[gitana1]

He too seems like he feels something just ain’t right.

Why would someone take a date on an excursion to harm their child?

 

[MsMarple]

“I’m so worried because it’s just been so long. He hasn’t had any food or drink since Saturday. I’m worried if he’s resourceful enough to make it on his own like that.”

Morgan Fogarty on Twitter

Dad says Maddox was headed in direction of park office / boat landing.

Morgan Fogarty on Twitter

I'm a little confused. It was reported that the adults were walking along the back side of the lake when Maddox took off. Since the paved walkway is circular either way would be in the direction of the office and boat ramp. What I think it means is that he ran off along the walkway but they don't know if he veered into the woods or made it to the office. Does that sound right?

I wonder if they called out to Maddox and if so did the jogger hear them? Others must have seen them running after Maddox - they got the attention of a park employee so it must have been obvious something was wrong. There should have been dozens of people helping by the time 40 minutes to an hour passed. I bet everyone here would have helped.
Google Maps

 

[Alethea]

I'm not sure the water is where he's at. If the dad lost sight of him running, others around and in the water would have seen him go in the water, wouldn't they?

I understand there's no swimming allowed at the park, just boating. If there were hundreds of people at the lake as reported, I think someone would have seen him go into the lake? I was thinking more he may have ran into the woods to hide. It doesn't seem like the woods have trails so there wouldn't have been people around to see him wandering. JMO, I have no idea where this poor guy is.

 

[Ed79]

I agree. If he did all that he could, trying to find him and running after him, then why would he feel guilty?

You are looking at this with a rational mindset. People experiencing grief are not always rational. As stated earlier I lost my daughter eight months into my wife's pregnancy and would often feel guilty wondering if there was anything I could have done differently. We never got answer why we lost her which probably didn't help with my mindset and wanting to blame myself (never once did I want to blame my wife even in my head). It's what parents do, we want to protect our children and if something happens we want to question what we did wrong.

I can assure you if I was ever in the situation where there was anything I could have done such as not letting a child out sight and something happened I would feel beyond guilty...

I personally wouldn't look at that statement as condemning.

 

[SuzDuJour]

Ian Ritch says he & a friend were walking with #MaddoxRitch at the park together when the 6 y/o started running, then sprinted


Said it was first time at Rankin Lake Park.


Says he has diabetes & neuropathy in his feet, which sometimes makes running difficult for him

#FindMaddox

Dianne Gallagher on Twitter

I’m curious that dad said he usually let Maddox run ahead of him, but this was the first visit to this park. Are there other parks in the area. Where does he usually run ahead?

 

[spiritkiss]

Re. the bolded bit. That sounds ominous.
I'm feeling this could be more like a recovery and not a rescue.
Sorry to sound so depressing--- but this is a six year old --and one with special needs, at that. (referring to the post about autism and non verbal-- although it's been said he can talk-- but will not speak to strangers) It's been 5 days now.


BBM

<modsnip: snipped re rumor>

But if your kid goes missing-- you do not care about anything else. Not your living situation. Not that you may have been distracted and forgot to watch Maddox. Not the company you were keeping.

My reaction would've been to call 911 sooner than an hour or more. Esp. with a special needs child. I would have been beyond frantic.
Nothing else would matter.

As far as the SAR dogs-- I've posted that before here, and someone replied that a person at the park saw someone with dogs later that day as the search commenced. I'm assuming this was before people were asked to stay away from the park ?



BBM
Ohhh so a hour had passed before any action was taken with police. Understood. Yes thats a long time.
This. ^^^
Worrisome to me as I thought Maddox was last seen in the park by the lake/trail, running after the jogger ?

When did this change ? Or was it posted and I missed it ?
The first explanation was that he lost sight of Maddox in the park as he (Maddox) ran after a jogger.
Did they check the cars and under/behind vehicles in the parking lot ?
If so-- the lake and wooded area of the park may not be where to look.
If Maddox was by the parking lot, an abduction would seem more probable ; with cars coming and going.

I went to google earth. It would help to know the exact location and direction father was walking. I assume by the dock (second dock, not first at entrance) that is further away from the entrance on left side of park. Only due to 911 caller said dock. Father saying he was toward backside of lake. I do not know the spot though.

Now google earth is very good for seeing the paths of least resistance and seeing a path that would be a natural way to go. you find a flow I would call it. Couple of years ago I picked the exact location a missing elderly man walked away from his home doing it this way pretty easily. He was found passed away due to trying to cross the creek. drowned but it was the natural way to go for him when looking at it from above. It was the location I circled on my map.

When you see creek boundary's as well as a deep drainage ditch, those are things that direct a person walking to a natural flowing path. Doesn't mean that is all the time but if you have to pick one path to try first thats how I do it when I look at terrain and any obstacles natural or manmade. A child doesn't have the concept of.....Hmmm looks like I only have hour of light left and temps going to drop. I need to look for shelter. They do not think like that. So when it got dark and when it got cold is when he tried to lay down and curl up in fetal position close to where that discomfort started happening or if there was something to get into that happened to be right there then maybe that. Kids do not understand hypothermia, death, danger like adults do. They understand fear, discomfort, hunger, thirst, feeling lonely, physical pain or discomfort AT the time its happening. Its not anticipated ahead of time like adults. That says alot when looking for a child versus adult.

When Im looking at this map and knowing he wasn't sighted outside the park, (the business cctvs will tell that) I see alot of wooded areas he could go in and to. But since there are major highway and side rds that he may have likely been seen by or crossing and wasnt seen, leads me to take those areas and directions out of the equation, at least for now. So that leaves the roadway on the left towards back of lake that goes to major sideroad and then little more towards back left you'll see a very deep water runoff or ditch running up and away from walkway. Very deep. Thats another natural resistance so that guides him to another path of least resistance. You keep going like that and it leads you to much smaller general areas that I would look first. Then next search would be the area with next higher resistant directions etc. If I guessed from limited info on exactly where dad was and the direction (Im guessing left side of lake right before or after the 2nd dock on left from the entrance) That he went into the woods on the farthest end of the pond. I do not see any fences but google earth may not show them. Fences depending how high would bring those options down quite a bit of where he could have went minus opening in fence anywhere along the line. 5days complicates it by alot. To much time to wander, walk. Im afraid that there is so many water sources around the park and inside the park that if he loved water and would get into it that that would be best bet. I hope not.

The police are looking in the storage boxes in the parking lot left of the lake. Thats one of the very least resistance areas due to the roadway leading to main sideroad on left. The business is back against the park boundary. I agree with that. Kids would love to go into those and explore. Look at google maps and look for least resistance in obstacles natural and man made and look at traveled highway boundary. Go with terrain and obstacle flow for a human being. Try it. It works. The google earth park location has bad graphics photo. Its sometimes like a drawing painting. Weird so the trees and whats in the woods around the lake are not able to be made out for detail.

Where do you see that natural flow a child would run walk from last known location. Even if guessed at by limited info.?

He was missing for maybe an hour. Odd that no body was at park to see dad,and mystery adult frantically searching for a missing child. No one pleading for help to find Maddox for an hour? No one hears them calling out his name?
I find this rather peculiar,and worthy of being addressed.
I really hope that the tips coming in breaks this case.

 

[Locksley Hall]

Thanks for clarifying. I admit I read just that part and had an oh crap moment.
I’m feeling better about the dad. Still on the fence about such a strange story though.
Dad says Maddox was running towards parking lot. This is more worrisome than the lake I think.

For me, the dad is more worrisome than the parking lot or the lake, in most situations involving a disappearance. In this one though, I just do not know.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

It was posted here, but I don't recall whether or not there was a media link for the information.

there wasn't (see post 732). But, some days, you have to pick your battles.

It's much more salacious this way. See how the focus has shifted? disgusting.

 

[LietKynes]

Ian Ritch now claims that he has neuropathy in his feet, due to diabetes, and that can make it difficult for him to run. He did not disclose that medical issue to us when we interviewed him earlier

David Begnaud on Twitter

Dad maybe forgot to add that... or he didn't think it was relevant ?
Except that if you're unable to run-- the last place you want to take your energetic child is a park.
Kids love to run !

His dad also talked about how he enjoyed running ahead and hiding. Even if he wasn’t obsessed with water as many of our kids are, he might have tried to quickly hide in the water. It takes seconds.

BBM

If Maddox dad knew he liked to run and hide, why take him to a park/open area where it would be difficult to keep up with him ?
Even if it hurts-- if your child runs off-- you don't think about it-- you just RUN and forget your discomfort.

Although maybe the friend was supposed to help watch Maddox and catch up with him if he ran out of sight ?

Trying to understand this in the light of new revelations.

 

[Alethea]

I agree. If he did all that he could, trying to find him and running after him, then why would he feel guilty? I guess we could probably pick apart many statements made in these cases, some would be accurately picked apart, but once in awhile, the person is truly genuine and the child or missing adult is found ok. I won't lie, I am beyond hope that Maddox is still alive- I want to believe he is and is just waiting to be found, but I just don't feel it in my heart that he is.

I could see him feeling really guilty if he just couldn't physically run faster than his son. My husband knows nothing about autism and elopers/runners, but the first thing he said when he saw me watching a segment on this case was "What grown man can't outrun a 6 year old??" thinking of it like a child and an adult running a race on a straightaway. Obviously it's not that simple and there appear to be many places to hide, get hurt, or get lost. But I think this guy may be thinking that many people out there, fairly or not, will have the first reaction my husband had.

I think partially this is just due to the unfortunate phrasing of the first statement released. If the dad said he was distracted for a minute and when he turned back his son was gone, no one would question it. We know that happens. The internet is full of the most heart-wrenching stories of accidental drownings in a matter of minutes. But to say he watched him "run out of sight" paints an unclear picture of what really happened.

 

[Amonet]

I'm glad the dad is cooperating with everything LE ask of him, including searching his home and car and things. It would be horrible to go through, and you'd be thinking that you'd rather have LE out there searching for your child, but at the end of the day it's better for the search than getting defensive.