SheWhoMustNotBeNamed
Former Member
Bumping for Patrick. Hoping he can come home in time for Father's Day and before the 18 month mark.
NY NY - Patrick Alford, 7, Brooklyn, 22 Jan 2010 - #2
- Thread starter Seymour Krelborn
- Start date
SheWhoMustNotBeNamed
Former Member
Found an interesting tidbit in another missing child's article. 2-year-old Everylyse Cabrera went missing while in foster care in 2006. Her family sued the county foster system for failing to keep their daughter safe. It never went to court, but they did get some money. $15,000 of which is now a reward for Everylyse. http://www.ktnv.com/story/14886634/family-in-5-year-cold-case
Just mentioning this to see if anything ever comes of Patrick's parent's cases.
Just mentioning this to see if anything ever comes of Patrick's parent's cases.
SheWhoMustNotBeNamed
Former Member
Bumping Patrick's case for his daddy today.
it is very tempting to find racial disparities in how LE reacted to Patrick's disappearance versus that to Leiby Kletzky and some of it is very understandable.
the Orthodox/Hasidim in Brooklyn are very powerful and their concerns are often addressed first, seemingly at the expense of other Brooklyn communities. having said all that, LE had much more to work with in Leiby's case. Leiby disappeared in broad daylight, there were abundant surveillance cameras around and police had a name and address once they found that dentist.
perhaps it says more about the lack of community in and around Starrett City where there was no significant public search put forth to find Patrick. IIRC, police did use dogs and traced Patrick's scent to a bus stop(?), but beyond that and suspicions surrounding his mother, LE had nothing to work with.
the Orthodox/Hasidim in Brooklyn are very powerful and their concerns are often addressed first, seemingly at the expense of other Brooklyn communities. having said all that, LE had much more to work with in Leiby's case. Leiby disappeared in broad daylight, there were abundant surveillance cameras around and police had a name and address once they found that dentist.
perhaps it says more about the lack of community in and around Starrett City where there was no significant public search put forth to find Patrick. IIRC, police did use dogs and traced Patrick's scent to a bus stop(?), but beyond that and suspicions surrounding his mother, LE had nothing to work with.
SheWhoMustNotBeNamed
Former Member
I agree, webrocket.
It made me very grateful to see the community support and pure numbers dedicated to finding Leiby. It also made me very sad for Patrick.
They did seem to have a lot more to work with in Leiby's case, but it has been said that they DO have some sort of surveillance footage of Patrick. Well, they have it of his foster mother looking for him. So if Patrick also made it out of that building, they should have some of him, too. I hate to say it, but if Leiby was in foster care with a mother who wanted him back, I doubt we would have seen the same dedication to finding him. Many would have assumed that his mother took him, like they did with Patrick.
Although, it is two totally different communities. Two totally different cases. So it's hard to make comparisons. Just very sad for both Leiby and Patrick.
It made me very grateful to see the community support and pure numbers dedicated to finding Leiby. It also made me very sad for Patrick.
They did seem to have a lot more to work with in Leiby's case, but it has been said that they DO have some sort of surveillance footage of Patrick. Well, they have it of his foster mother looking for him. So if Patrick also made it out of that building, they should have some of him, too. I hate to say it, but if Leiby was in foster care with a mother who wanted him back, I doubt we would have seen the same dedication to finding him. Many would have assumed that his mother took him, like they did with Patrick.
Although, it is two totally different communities. Two totally different cases. So it's hard to make comparisons. Just very sad for both Leiby and Patrick.
Cubby
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Hasn't Patricks biological mother taken a poly and passed? I seem to recall her being cleared of any involvement in Patrick's disappearance but I may be mistaken. Has everyone in Patricks bio family cooperated with police? Who has been officially cleared if anyone? Was there any confirmed sightings of Patrick outside of the apartment after his disappearance?
Salem, when you have time can you give a breif synopsis of this case for those who may be new to it due to the proximity of Leiby's case?
Thank you.
Salem, when you have time can you give a breif synopsis of this case for those who may be new to it due to the proximity of Leiby's case?
Thank you.
SheWhoMustNotBeNamed
Former Member
Patrick's biological mother took and passed a polygraph test after she was arrested. That is why they let her out of prision. Everyone in Patrick's family has cooperated. They've checked in on aunts, uncles, etc. However, I don't recall hearing that anyone has been "cleared". They don't have any suspects or POIs, though.
There was never any confirmed sightings of Patrick that we have been made aware of. I have always speculated that they must have something. Patrick's foster mother was seen on surveillance looking for him around the building. If they have footage of her, and he left the same building, they should also have footage of him. However, they have not come out and said this, and none has been released. There was also a sighting THOUGHT to have been Patrick, but his family said it was not him.
SheWhoMustNotBeNamed
Former Member
I wrote a blog for Patrick on the 1-year anniversary of his disappearance that sums up his case. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/blog.php?b=896 I'll copy it here.
On a cold, January night one year ago, seven-year-old Patrick Alford left his apartment complex in the Starrett City section of Brooklyn, New York wearing nothing but a red t-shirt, blue jeans, and black sneakers. He had reportedly slipped away from his foster mother while taking out the trash between 8:00-9:00 pm.
The ensuing search for Patrick has been called one of the biggest in New York history. Helicopters, search dogs, and over 100 officers have looked for the young boy. Over 14,000 people were interviewed, including all 6,000 residents of the apartment complex Patrick disappeared from. An additional 214 buildings were searched, and 9,100 doors were knocked on. Seven registered sex offenders near the apartment complex were interviewed, as were 28 bus drivers, seven Brooklyn car service employees, and 21 family members, friends, and acquaintances. Eighty-one surveillance videos were analyzed, including one video from a Manhattan terminal of the Staten Island Ferry that showed a boy fitting Patricks description being led away by a woman. Patricks family says that the boy is not Patrick. A situation room was even devoted to Patrick at the precinct house. His case has appeared on Americas Most Wanted three times. His scent was traced to a bus stop two blocks away from the apartment complex. Yet, a year later, the seven-year-old has yet to be found.
By all accounts, Patrick was a little boy who missed his mother desperately. Since moving in with his foster family three weeks prior, young Patrick was reportedly very upset. He had even made attempts to flee back to his mother. According to one account, he even threatened to kill himself.
Patrick and his younger sister had been taken away from their mother, Jennifer Rodriguez, after the 23-year-old had been arrested for shoplifting around Christmas 2009. Upon investigation, the Administration for Childrens Services (ACS) determined that the children were neglected. Despite offers from Patricks father and other family members to care for the children, an ACS judge placed Patrick and his sister in foster care, with a foster mother who spoke very little English.
Patricks foster mother, Librada Moran, has reportedly been caring for children for more than 20 years without incident. However, although she has not been removed from the list of approved foster care providers, she has not been given any additional foster children since Patrick disappeared while in her care. Patricks younger sister was subsequently removed from the home and placed with her father, who now has custody.
Shortly after Patricks disappearance, his mother was jailed by an ACS judge who insisted that she knew the location of her son. However, she was later released after a polygraph test revealed she had no knowledge of her sons whereabouts. Jennifer has since filed a lawsuit against New York City, the Administration for Childrens Services, the foster mother, and the apartment complex. Her goal is to get everyone to come together and give testimony under oath in an attempt to uncover the truth about what happened to Patrick.
The three prevailing theories about what happened to the seven-year-old include Patrick being with family members who wanted him back after he was placed in foster care, Patrick dying from exposure to the cold after running away, and Patrick being abducted. Police have a growing fear that Patricks case echos that of Etan Patz, a six-year-old boy snatched of the streets of New York on his way to school in 1979. Etan has never been found.
Glaring questions surround the coverage of Patricks case. Many have asked if his case would have received more media attention if he were white or female. Others question whether the public would have paid more attention had Patrick not been in the foster-care system. Others have blamed his mother for living a life that put Patrick in that situation, and still others have blamed ACS for placing Patrick in foster care instead of with other capable family members. However, as easy as it is to sit back and try to place the blame on someone, anyone, a year later, a now 8-year-old Patrick Alford is still out there somewhere.
Anyone with information on Patricks whereabouts or the circumstances surrounding his disappearance should contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS .(Case BK-1726), the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST, Americas Most Wanted at 1-800-CRIME-TV, police at 212-694-7781, or Detective Borough Brooklyn at 718-287-3239 .
There is a $12,000 reward for information, and the family is offering up to an additional $50,000 for any information leading to Patricks whereabouts.
The ensuing search for Patrick has been called one of the biggest in New York history. Helicopters, search dogs, and over 100 officers have looked for the young boy. Over 14,000 people were interviewed, including all 6,000 residents of the apartment complex Patrick disappeared from. An additional 214 buildings were searched, and 9,100 doors were knocked on. Seven registered sex offenders near the apartment complex were interviewed, as were 28 bus drivers, seven Brooklyn car service employees, and 21 family members, friends, and acquaintances. Eighty-one surveillance videos were analyzed, including one video from a Manhattan terminal of the Staten Island Ferry that showed a boy fitting Patricks description being led away by a woman. Patricks family says that the boy is not Patrick. A situation room was even devoted to Patrick at the precinct house. His case has appeared on Americas Most Wanted three times. His scent was traced to a bus stop two blocks away from the apartment complex. Yet, a year later, the seven-year-old has yet to be found.
By all accounts, Patrick was a little boy who missed his mother desperately. Since moving in with his foster family three weeks prior, young Patrick was reportedly very upset. He had even made attempts to flee back to his mother. According to one account, he even threatened to kill himself.
Patrick and his younger sister had been taken away from their mother, Jennifer Rodriguez, after the 23-year-old had been arrested for shoplifting around Christmas 2009. Upon investigation, the Administration for Childrens Services (ACS) determined that the children were neglected. Despite offers from Patricks father and other family members to care for the children, an ACS judge placed Patrick and his sister in foster care, with a foster mother who spoke very little English.
Patricks foster mother, Librada Moran, has reportedly been caring for children for more than 20 years without incident. However, although she has not been removed from the list of approved foster care providers, she has not been given any additional foster children since Patrick disappeared while in her care. Patricks younger sister was subsequently removed from the home and placed with her father, who now has custody.
Shortly after Patricks disappearance, his mother was jailed by an ACS judge who insisted that she knew the location of her son. However, she was later released after a polygraph test revealed she had no knowledge of her sons whereabouts. Jennifer has since filed a lawsuit against New York City, the Administration for Childrens Services, the foster mother, and the apartment complex. Her goal is to get everyone to come together and give testimony under oath in an attempt to uncover the truth about what happened to Patrick.
The three prevailing theories about what happened to the seven-year-old include Patrick being with family members who wanted him back after he was placed in foster care, Patrick dying from exposure to the cold after running away, and Patrick being abducted. Police have a growing fear that Patricks case echos that of Etan Patz, a six-year-old boy snatched of the streets of New York on his way to school in 1979. Etan has never been found.
Glaring questions surround the coverage of Patricks case. Many have asked if his case would have received more media attention if he were white or female. Others question whether the public would have paid more attention had Patrick not been in the foster-care system. Others have blamed his mother for living a life that put Patrick in that situation, and still others have blamed ACS for placing Patrick in foster care instead of with other capable family members. However, as easy as it is to sit back and try to place the blame on someone, anyone, a year later, a now 8-year-old Patrick Alford is still out there somewhere.
Anyone with information on Patricks whereabouts or the circumstances surrounding his disappearance should contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS .(Case BK-1726), the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST, Americas Most Wanted at 1-800-CRIME-TV, police at 212-694-7781, or Detective Borough Brooklyn at 718-287-3239 .
There is a $12,000 reward for information, and the family is offering up to an additional $50,000 for any information leading to Patricks whereabouts.
it did not help matters that Patrick was a newcomer to Starrett City so few probably knew he was there. even so, I don't recall there being any organized effort on the part of residents of Starrett City to look for him.
NYC is still a remarkale safe place these days. however, some parts are still home to people who are either too busy to care or are just indifferent to their surroundings.
NYC is still a remarkale safe place these days. however, some parts are still home to people who are either too busy to care or are just indifferent to their surroundings.
Cubby
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Thank you SheWho and my apologies for inadvertantly calling you Salem. 
If Patrick had succumbed to the elements I believe he would have been found. It's hard to imagine a scenario he wouldn't have been found if he truly succumbed to the cold.
It is possible he fell victim to a predator while waiting at the bus stop. I don't know how frequently the buses run in that area at 8-9pm. I wonder if it is possible for the scent dog to have picked up Patricks trail from an earlier trip to that bus stop such as him using that bus to go to and from school. School would have been in session from the winter break by January 22nd.
Is there a map or location of the bus stop Patricks where the dogs tracked Patricks scent before losing the trail?
I do pray the answers to his disappearance are found one day. Hopefully found safe.
If Patrick had succumbed to the elements I believe he would have been found. It's hard to imagine a scenario he wouldn't have been found if he truly succumbed to the cold.
It is possible he fell victim to a predator while waiting at the bus stop. I don't know how frequently the buses run in that area at 8-9pm. I wonder if it is possible for the scent dog to have picked up Patricks trail from an earlier trip to that bus stop such as him using that bus to go to and from school. School would have been in session from the winter break by January 22nd.
Is there a map or location of the bus stop Patricks where the dogs tracked Patricks scent before losing the trail?
I do pray the answers to his disappearance are found one day. Hopefully found safe.
SheWhoMustNotBeNamed
Former Member
Thank you SheWho and my apologies for inadvertantly calling you Salem.
If Patrick had succumbed to the elements I believe he would have been found. It's hard to imagine a scenario he wouldn't have been found if he truly succumbed to the cold.
It is possible he fell victim to a predator while waiting at the bus stop. I don't know how frequently the buses run in that area at 8-9pm. I wonder if it is possible for the scent dog to have picked up Patricks trail from an earlier trip to that bus stop such as him using that bus to go to and from school. School would have been in session from the winter break by January 22nd.
Is there a map or location of the bus stop Patricks where the dogs tracked Patricks scent before losing the trail?
I do pray the answers to his disappearance are found one day. Hopefully found safe.
Here is a post of mine from Patrick's first thread regarding the buses. I have a map somewhere. I'll try to post it later.
The dogs reportedly tracked Patrick's scent toward the Parkway, which was the farthest away of the two closest bus stops to Patrick's apartments.
SheWhoMustNotBeNamed
Former Member
Here is a photo of the bus map for Patrick's area (Starrett City / Spring Creek Towers). The yellow circle is the specific area Patrick would have caught a bus in, IF he did so. As I said in the above post, #82 is the most likely bus for Patrick IF IF IF he tried to catch one. The #82 stop NORTHwest of his apartments was the closest walk, about 5 minutes away. The #82 stop SOUTHeast of his apartments was a farther walk, about 10-15 minutes away. However, the dogs reportedly tracked Patrick's scent SOUTHeast, toward the parkway, which is also where they based one of their searches.
Anyway, after all that...here it is.
Anyway, after all that...here it is.
Attachments
SheWhoMustNotBeNamed
Former Member
You'd think with Leiby's disappearance, at least one media outlet would maybe have mentioned that Patrick is still missing in Brooklyn. But no. Nothing. Not a word.
The cases are likely not connected. But he's still a missing child from the same area. Use it to help bring attention to his case!!!
The cases are likely not connected. But he's still a missing child from the same area. Use it to help bring attention to his case!!!
Indy Anna
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I agree completely with Cubby. If Patrick had died of exposure, his body would've been found by now. If he had boarded a bus, someone on that bus would've remembered a 7-y-o traveling alone. My thought is that Patrick was lured into a vehicle while waiting at the bus stop. Still, I'm surprised no one reported seeing Patrick along the route to the bus stop. Someone - besides a predator - must have seen him that night!
SheWhoMustNotBeNamed
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Kimberlyd125
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SheWho
I just wanted to thank you for keeping this case updated.
I just wanted to thank you for keeping this case updated.