I'll never catch up with reading all the threads about this case - I'm just finding out about it - but I can think of several scenarios in which a child that age might go and hide or go outside.
One is if he thought he did his science fair project incorrectly or someone made fun of it. He might have been upset and gone to the restroom or out to the playground. If that's not the case, another scenario people have mentioned is whether he indeed went outside to get some sort of natural material to put in the display. According to the Stepmom that didn't happen and he was headed for the classroom.
Another idea I had was whether he thought he left something in the car but when he went outside after his stepmother had driven away?
Finally, it's possible that something else happened unrelated to the science fair - bullying or pushing on the stairs (if there are any stairs) - that sort of thing. Even in middle school violence can happen and this was a small boy.
Having said all that, this case gives me a very bad feeling.
I have three kids and when they were younger we had science fairs before school. That is usually a chaotic time when buses are arriving and lots of parents in the hallway. At my youngest child's school however they became very strict about allowing parents anywhere except the cafeteria in the morning, and the teachers were supposed to be vigilant about who was in the hallways. That came about after a teacher was trapped in a classroom by her ex-husband and shot in front of the students. They have strict rules about signing in and wearing nametags with the reason you are in school and you can only get those in the office from the principal's secretary.
Also, our schools have lockdown as soon as the bell rings and most of the outer doors are locked. Most kids would know not to go outside in the morning, but then this was a young child and this was an unusual day.
I can see why a teacher might not have worried if they knew the child was with a parent earlier. But on the other hand, we have to give cell phone numbers to teachers for a reason - one phone call might have saved this child's life.
Not blaming the teachers or the step-mother ~ just some observations.
I do find it odd that this happened while the father was out of town with the brother. And who was supposed to meet the boy at the bus stop?
I hope the FBI can figure out some good leads - disturbing!
raying:
