Found Deceased NC - Raul Johnson, 4, Laurinburg, 24 January 2018

[Abp5]

Here is the latest update I have seen. They are doing an update at 3:00pm ET. I thought the paragraph about ‘all possibilities’ is interesting. It is the first time I have seen anything similar to this in print concerning this case. I am not sure if that wording was used by LE or if it was the reporters interpretation.

“Kersey said investigators have looked at “every type of situation,” including whether the boy wandered off, was taken by someone or if he was moved by a family member“

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article197019459.html

 

[Abp5]

I'm wondering the same thing, and I'm sure BlkMtnGirl is, too. The dogs tracked Raul's scent at both places, which tells me somehow, Raul was in that barn. Yet, I do no recall that there were any foot prints of Raul's at the barn, just his scent. Which tells me that if he was there, he must have been carried by someone. Was it in the barn they found his scent, outside, or both? I can't remember now, sorry.

I believe the footprints were found at the pond. I don’t recall seeing it in relation to the barn.

 

[katydid23]

"...moved by a family member..."


That gives me the chills.

 

[Steelslady]

"...moved by a family member..."


That gives me the chills.

Same here. My heart is just aching for Raul. I don't get a good vibe that he is alive.I wonder if he ran over to the cookie and candy lady's house so traumatized and scared, that he just couldn't talk. Almost like he tried to make an escape.

 

[yurena]

I can't believe little Raul has not been found yet I have such a bad feeling about this. I really hope I am totally wrong and there are good news on his whereabouts this weekend.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

Jessica Lunsford’s abductor/rapist/murderer lived 100 yards away from her home. Abductors don’t need to take a child far. He kept her in his room for 3 days before killing her. Reportedly the 2 other adult living there were unaware. A car isn’t needed in this scenario.

Raul’s case has reminded me of Jessica’s case also.

One thing that has been of particular interest to me is the neighbor at whose house Raul was found after going missing the day before all of this started:

“In an unrelated incident, Gonzales wandered off from his home Tuesday morning, but was located about 20 minutes later by his grandfather at a neighbor’s house.“ (BBM)
https://www.richmondobserver.com/na...-updated-timeline-and-map-of-search-area.html

“Scotland County Sheriff Ralph Kersey said the boy has wandered off from his home before, the last time being Tuesday and he was found at a neighbor's house.” (BBM)
http://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/cha...--4-year-old-boy-missing-from-scotland-county

It is possible that this neighbor was the “Cookies and Candy Lady,” IMO. However, if Raul was found at a different neighbor’s house, that person needs to be looked into, IMO.

 

[BlkMtnGirl]

Here is the latest update I have seen. They are doing an update at 3:00pm ET. I thought the paragraph about ‘all possibilities’ is interesting. It is the first time I have seen anything similar to this in print concerning this case. I am not sure if that wording was used by LE or if it was the reporters interpretation.

“Kersey said investigators have looked at “every type of situation,” including whether the boy wandered off, was taken by someone or if he was moved by a family member“

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article197019459.html

I think it's worded a little differently because they're quoting the FBI, not the Sheriff. It also seems that the FBI is expressly emphasizing the pond owner's cooperation. IMO, they shouldn't have publicized his name the way they did unless he was a POI. If we here on WS (me included) are questioning his former lack of cooperation, the rumor mill back home must be going nuts.

 

[Steelslady]

You're thinking like me. I would love to know where that barn is. I have a feeling it's going east on Pea Bridge Road near Bridge Creek, but please, this is just a feeling; don't quote me. That's three miles. I'm not seeing another road that is still rural at the end of three miles. It would also be interesting to know if the barn and pond are connected somehow. Again, just my thoughts only.

There has to be a connection somehow.

Also, someone just mentioned that Raul was found at a neighbor's house another day when he went missing- his grandfather found him there.

I wonder if that neighbor is the one with the pond? I don't get a vibe that it is, but you never know.

The barn seems a bit far away, I think, for him to have been found at that neighbor's house- he was missing for 25 minutes, it said- I doubt he ran that far in such a short amount of time.

Cookie and candy lady is next door- did the grandfather know he was going there daily? He must have, I would think. Not to mention, when a child is missing, you would ask your closest neighbors first if they saw him before exploring beyond that area and into other neighbor's yards. I keep being haunted by the cookie lady neighbor saying he wouldn't talk to her that day. She said it wasn't like him, I wonder why she didn't try to coax him into talking, maybe give him a cookie and then ask him what was wrong, once he relaxed a bit? Was he running to her for comfort or a place to hide from some evil person abusing him, and she just didn't pick up on him being traumatized?

 

[Auntisemantic]

Raul’s case has reminded me of Jessica’s case also.

One thing that has been of particular interest to me is the neighbor at whose house Raul was found after going missing the day before all of this started:

“In an unrelated incident, Gonzales wandered off from his home Tuesday morning, but was located about 20 minutes later by his grandfather at a neighbor’s house.“ (BBM)
https://www.richmondobserver.com/na...-updated-timeline-and-map-of-search-area.html

“Scotland County Sheriff Ralph Kersey said the boy has wandered off from his home before, the last time being Tuesday and he was found at a neighbor's house.” (BBM)
http://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/cha...--4-year-old-boy-missing-from-scotland-county

It is possible that this neighbor was the “Cookies and Candy Lady,” IMO. However, if Raul was found at a different neighbor’s house, that person needs to be looked into, IMO.

He was at the same neighbor's mobile home. He went there daily.

 

[Abp5]

I think it's worded a little differently because they're quoting the FBI, not the Sheriff. It also seems that the FBI is expressly emphasizing the pond owner's cooperation. IMO, they shouldn't have publicized his name the way they did unless he was a POI. If we here on WS (me included) are questioning his former lack of cooperation, the rumor mill back home must be going nuts.

I agree. I have followed comments on some of the news FB posts and many people were calling for a boycott of his business, among other things. I think the whole thing is odd but we don’t know all the facts. I was surprised his name and the name of his business was listed in a couple of MSM articles.

 

[Steelslady]

I think it's worded a little differently because they're quoting the FBI, not the Sheriff. It also seems that the FBI is expressly emphasizing the pond owner's cooperation. IMO, they shouldn't have publicized his name the way they did unless he was a POI. If we here on WS (me included) are questioning his former lack of cooperation, the rumor mill back home must be going nuts.

That upset me as well. So far, that owner is not a POI, and I feel the media should be called out on this. From what I have read, this owner was cooperating, letting LE search the property and allowed divers in the pond without hesitation. I wonder who spread the rumor that gained legs that he wasn't cooperating.

 

[lonetraveler]

My gut feeling just went from bad to awful....

“Gonzales and Johnson were both arrested in September on 21 total counts of child sex abuse. Gonzales remains in custody in the Scotland County Detention Center, but Johnson was released.

Kersey questioned the decision to drop the charges against Johnson that initially included five felony counts of child abuse by sexual assault, eight felony counts of accessory after the fact indecent liberties, and one felony count of forcible sex offense

“(Gonzales) was charged with actually committing the crimes,” Kersey said. “She was charged with accessory to the crimes, and how you have one without the other when you’re living in the same household surprises me.”

According to an official with the Scotland County District Attorney, the charges against Johnson were not dropped by the DA’s office. The case against Johnson was dismissed by a judge because of a lack of evidence.

“There was a hearing in court and the court ruled that there was insufficient evidence and no probable cause to support the case,” the official said. “There was a legal finding by the court. Witnesses testified and didn’t implicate her. There was a full trial.”

There are also ongoing cases open on the child’s family by the Scotland County Department of Social Services, and the children have been removed by DSS from Johnson’s custody on several occasions.

April Snead, director of DSS, declined to comment on the case citing confidentiality rules.”

http://www.laurinburgexchange.com/top-stories/13737/search-continues-for-missing-scotland-boy

This scenario is getting so old. Time after time children are harmed, abused, sexually abused and neglected and Child Services put them right back with the parent/parents. I'm totally fuming while following another child case like this.
Way too many dead and hurt babies lately!!!! :maddening:

Sick of hearing the same old, same old excuses by Child Services, enough already!

 

[dms]

I wonder who spread the rumor that gained legs that he wasn't cooperating.

That happens very easily. Just take the conversation upthread wherein half a dozen or so of us made remarks implying that the property owner had something to hide/should not dare to get in the way of the investigation (after his pond had been searched TWICE, mind you), etc. Then imagine that conversation taking place among locals, in a local diner or somewhere it could be overheard, and suddenly there's a shadow on this guy's reputation that people remember decades on.

 

[Abp5]

Doesn’t anyone know what criteria must be met for the FBI CARD team to be requested? Would they need specific evidence pointing to the possibility of an abduction or can they be called in if the child is missing for a certain amount of time?

 

[jezhead]

As more time passes this is really looking not so hopeful anymore

 

[lonetraveler]

There has to be a connection somehow.

Also, someone just mentioned that Raul was found at a neighbor's house another day when he went missing- his grandfather found him there.

I wonder if that neighbor is the one with the pond? I don't get a vibe that it is, but you never know.

The barn seems a bit far away, I think, for him to have been found at that neighbor's house- he was missing for 25 minutes, it said- I doubt he ran that far in such a short amount of time.

Cookie and candy lady is next door- did the grandfather know he was going there daily? He must have, I would think. Not to mention, when a child is missing, you would ask your closest neighbors first if they saw him before exploring beyond that area and into other neighbor's yards. I keep being haunted by the cookie lady neighbor saying he wouldn't talk to her that day. She said it wasn't like him, I wonder why she didn't try to coax him into talking, maybe give him a cookie and then ask him what was wrong, once he relaxed a bit? Was he running to her for comfort or a place to hide from some evil person abusing him, and she just didn't pick up on him being traumatized?

I'm also thinking that siblings usually play together and the siblings should be able to answer a lot of questions such as; does he go to play in the barn? Hopefully the siblings are being questioned by professionals so that the dynamics of the household are brought out. We already know that the parents were charged with horrendous crimes involving a child/children, so I worry that the children will be afraid to talk. Just my :twocents:

 

[Steelslady]

This scenario is getting so old. Time after time children are harmed, abused, sexually abused and neglected and Child Services put them right back with the parent/parents. I'm totally fuming while following another child case like this.
Way too many dead and hurt babies lately!!!! :maddening:

Sick of hearing the same old, same old excuses by Child Services, enough already!

Believe it or not, sometimes it is out of CPS's hands as well. Remember, some fools made laws that parents have rights and if they pass their silly courses of learning how to be a "proper mommy and daddy" again, and they behave themselves by not getting into trouble with the law during that time, and their drug tests come back clean- back the kids go to their abusive home. Blame the lawmakers that allow abusive parents rights like this. I knew of a social worker who at times, pulled her hair out from not only being overworked (and very underpaid, I might add), but she was also stressed out because no matter what she felt was the right thing to do with children like this, she had to follow the rules and guidelines and give the kids back, even if in her heart, she knew that the children shouldn't return home.

These social workers work around the clock- many of them don't get days off, and they are called out all hours of the day or night for these poor children. Believe it or not, some kids go from an abusive home with their parents to another abusive home at a foster parents. These children have psychological issues, and many times when a foster parent can't handle it at 2 am in the morning, the social worker gets called out to take the child to either a hospital for psychiatric treatment or to bring them to another foster home in the middle of the night until they can re-home them.

I was considering becoming a social worker when I was younger, until our social worker friend told me to find something else. It wasn't the lack of pay that she was leading me away from this type of work- it was the long and exhausting hours, the pain and heartache of seeing these abusive children in person, the angry parents who want to see their kid at the drop of a dime but can't because it isn't their day to see them, so the social worker gets the anger from the parents, they're put in hostile situations constantly. That doesn't include them going to the home when abuse is suspected and they have to determine whether or not the child needs to be removed- sometimes, they have to visit the child at school to find out what is really happening at home.

I feel so bad for social workers- many times, they do agree with us. Many times, their hands are tied behind their backs because of the law.

 

[lonetraveler]

That upset me as well. So far, that owner is not a POI, and I feel the media should be called out on this. From what I have read, this owner was cooperating, letting LE search the property and allowed divers in the pond without hesitation. I wonder who spread the rumor that gained legs that he wasn't cooperating.

A local news source actually stated the following. Might explain some of the discussion. I haven't commented on the owner of the pond, I just wanted to point out that is was published by news source article.
http://www.laurinburgexchange.com/news/13780/search-for-child-turns-to-nearby-bodies-of-water

This article has more information I haven't read before with detail.

 

[lonetraveler]

Believe it or not, sometimes it is out of CPS's hands as well. Remember, some fools made laws that parents have rights and if they pass their silly courses of learning how to be a "proper mommy and daddy" again, and they behave themselves by not getting into trouble with the law during that time, and their drug tests come back clean- back the kids go to their abusive home. Blame the lawmakers that allow abusive parents rights like this. I knew of a social worker who at times, pulled her hair out from not only being overworked (and very underpaid, I might add), but she was also stressed out because no matter what she felt was the right thing to do with children like this, she had to follow the rules and guidelines and give the kids back, even if in her heart, she knew that the children shouldn't return home.

These social workers work around the clock- many of them don't get days off, and they are called out all hours of the day or night for these poor children. Believe it or not, some kids go from an abusive home with their parents to another abusive home at a foster parents. These children have psychological issues, and many times when a foster parent can't handle it at 2 am in the morning, the social worker gets called out to take the child to either a hospital for psychiatric treatment or to bring them to another foster home in the middle of the night until they can re-home them.

I was considering becoming a social worker when I was younger, until our social worker friend told me to find something else. It wasn't the lack of pay that she was leading me away from this type of work- it was the long and exhausting hours, the pain and heartache of seeing these abusive children in person, the angry parents who want to see their kid at the drop of a dime but can't because it isn't their day to see them, so the social worker gets the anger from the parents, they're put in hostile situations constantly. That doesn't include them going to the home when abuse is suspected and they have to determine whether or not the child needs to be removed- sometimes, they have to visit the child at school to find out what is really happening at home.

I feel so bad for social workers- many times, they do agree with us. Many times, their hands are tied behind their backs because of the law.

I recognize that the courts rule over these matters, often taking the control of the situation from CPS. I should include that the law needs to be more protective toward the children's protection.

 

[Elainera]

They have now started draining the pond.

Kelly Kennedy‏ @KellyEKennedyTV

Scotland County Sheriff’s deputies have Crestline Rd blocked off while crews drain the pond to search for Raul Gonzalez Johnson. @WNCN

https://twitter.com/KellyEKennedyTV/status/957315709440331776