Hello! New here.
I wanted to say something about the ABC article that many people are quoting. The reporter, Russell Goldman, has published at least two on-line articles using the same ambiguous sentence: "He was last seen by his stepmother, walking toward his classroom 150 feet away." (Sources:
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Media/parents-missing-kyron-horman-hope/story?id=10891582 and
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Media/suspected-sighting-kyron-horman-missing-boy/story?id=10898522)
Unfortunately, this can be taken two ways. Some are reading it to mean that Terri Horman was the last person to see Kyron. However, it could also mean that this was simply the last time
Terri Horman saw Kyron and does not eliminate the possibility that someone other than Terri Horman saw him later.
I think this kind of ambiguity is poor writing and poor journalism. If the journalist has reason to believe that Terri Horman was the last person to see Kyron, then the journalist should have clearly stated that and then have backed it up by crediting a source. Russell Goldman doesn't cite a source for his ambiguous remark.
I think a much more reliable source is Sheriff Dan Staton who has been quoted as saying that the last person to see Kyron was a student at the school who saw Kyron at 9:00 a.m. on June 4, 2010, near the south entrance to the school. Here are the 2 supporting sources:
SOURCE #1:
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/06/still_no_trace_of_kyron_horman.html
Date of Source:
Sunday, June 06, 2010, 10:00 PM, updated Updated: Wednesday, June 09, 2010, 11:01 AM
Significance of Source: This article cites Sherrif Staton as the source of the information.
Significance of this quote:
Sheriff Staton establishes the LOCATION: "near the south entrance to the school".
Sheriff Staton establishes WHO saw Kyron: "a student"
SOURCE #2:
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/06/kyron_horman_search_may_have_s.html
Date of Source:
Saturday, June 12, 2010, 9:30 PM
Significance of Source:
The Oregonian specifically quotes Sherrif Staton as the source of the information and states that the quote was supplied by Staton on Saturday.
Significance of quote:
Sheriff Staton establishes TIME of the last sighting: 9:00 a.m.
Putting it together:
In both quotes, Sheriff Staton is commenting on the last sighting of Kyron. By combining the information from both quotes, I believe that Sheriff Staton is confirming the who, where and when of the last known sighting:
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Where: Near the south entrance to the school
Who: A student (therefore the reference is not to Terri Horman)