GUILTY PA - Bonnie Sweeten for staged abduction, swindle, Upper Southampton, 2009

[Julespa]

I am also from the area but more around the King of Prussia area. This has been all over the news. The one thing that is bugging me is why was the Amber Alert not activated until almost 8 hours AFTER this happened? Something isn't right with this. I will not assume anything right now but my spidey senses are telling me that this was a hit gone bad or something else. More to this story I think.

 

[Linda7NJ]

Update:
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=6832725


"In all, Sweeten made seven calls to 911. Two, in which, they were able to talk to her at length"


"Action News learned late Tuesday investigators were examining a Cadillac in Hunting Park with front end damage. Police say the front of the car was laced with silver paint, which is consistent with Sweeten's 2005 Denali.
Action News was the only one at the scene as police converged on the Cadillac on North Marshal Street near Venango Street.
Upon opening the trunk"

 

[txmama]

My hinky meter was going off like crazy on this one until I heard that she had two other children at home. I don't know what to think, just to pray.

 

[Linda7NJ]

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/video?id=6833428

another video link

 

[bogeygal]

FYI, there are two other threads covering this same story now. I'm trying to keep up with the latest news.

I'm hoping mom and daughter are found safe today.

 

[laura08]

here is a picture of mom and daughter
family and friends of Bonnie Sweeten and her daughter Julia Rakoczy say they just want to find the two.
"I would like to tell them to let them go there's no reason to keep them I don't understand why they'd want to keep them. Just let them go. I mean, you know, we don't have money. I don't understand, I don't understand," said Anthony Rakoczy. He had a hard time keeping his composure as he talked about his daughter Julia, who he'd just spent Memorial Day with, "She loves the Phillies. She plays softball. She's always dancing around the house."


http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Police-Searching-for-Woman-Child-Trapped-in-Trunk.html

 

[kk's mom]

I hope they are okay too but to me too - something's just not right........wouldn't the abductors have seen the news alerts that she was calling 911? Wouldn't they have taken the phone away from her? I'm following this as it's in my area.....sad I do really hope they are both okay

 

[Linda7NJ]

I am confused. She said she was abducted after an accident that happened in Bucks County but her car was found in Philly close to where her cell phone pinged?
That doesn't make any sense. Why would you say you were abducted after an accident 20 miles away from where you car is found?

Why would she stage her disappearance and take her daughter with her? That doesn't seem to make a lot of sense either. Are her other children from a different father?

Her car was found in Philly...5 blocks from where her cell phone pinged.

If she was locked in the trunk what made her think that her abductors also took her suv?

Her daughter was supposed to be locked in the trunk with her......wondering if the 911 operator can confirm that she heard another voice?

That mother better not turn up with out her child!

I am hoping my hinky matter is going off because of sketchy media reports.....but I don't think so. Story isn't make much sense to me as reported.

 

[gaia227]

Okay - the article Linda7NJ just posted seemed a little more clear. It sounds like there was an accident involving a car with 2 men and one of them took her car and one of them put them in the trunk. That would explain why her car was found close to the cell pings.

It also sounds like it was the Cadillac that rear-rended her - that could have been on purpose to get them to pull over.

 

[SarahR]

The possible perps may have dumped the her vehicle after the news reported it as also being taken, the area it was left in looks like a rough neighbourhood, i hope they are both ok

 

[Linda7NJ]

I am hopeful video surveillance in the area where her car was found yields something!

 

[gaia227]

Her car was found in Philly...5 blocks from where her cell phone pinged.

If she was locked in the trunk what made her think that her abductors also took her suv?

Her daughter was supposed to be locked in the trunk with her......wondering if the 911 operator can confirm that she heard another voice?

That mother better not turn up with out her child!

I am hoping my hinky matter is going off because of sketchy media reports.....but I don't think so. Story isn't make much sense to me as reported.

Thank you for clarifying.

You are right it seems like it should be pretty easy to verify the little girl was with her if she was in the trunk with her.

As far as knowing her car was taken.......that is a good question I hadn't even thought of.

 

[Linda7NJ]

The possible perps may have dumped the her vehicle after the news reported it as also being taken, the area it was left in looks like a rough neighbourhood, i hope they are both ok

"Rough" is putting it mildly. If they were abducted they must be very close by where the Caddy was dumped. Unless there is a 3rd transfer vehicle...............

 

[laura08]

"Rough" is putting it mildly. If they were abducted they must be very close by where the Caddy was dumped. Unless there is a 3rd transfer vehicle...............

I think they look like a happy a family.They was on there way to a doctors appoitment with the daughter when this incident happened. It is very strange.

 

[Jadenn]

I hope they are okay too but to me too - something's just not right........wouldn't the abductors have seen the news alerts that she was calling 911? Wouldn't they have taken the phone away from her? I'm following this as it's in my area.....sad I do really hope they are both okay

I was going to comment on that exact same train of thought. I understand the public need for information, and the media's stance on providing that information, but I do not believe they should have reported the 911 calls. If the kidnappers were not aware that she had a cell phone, they are now. By reporting that information, they may have taken away her source of help.

 

[Linda7NJ]

"
In a terrified voice, police said, 38-year-old Bonnie Ann Sweeten told how she had been grabbed by two men after a minor accident in lower Bucks County, shortly before 2 p.m., shoved into the back of a Cadillac and driven away.
She said that her 9-year-old daughter, Julia Rakoczy, had been with her but remained in her vehicle, a GMC SUV. It was not at the scene when cops arrived.
An Amber Alert was issued for the girl."



http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/20090527_Mom_abducted__daughter_missing.html


OK...I am back to FISHY STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[laura08]

"
In a terrified voice, police said, 38-year-old Bonnie Ann Sweeten told how she had been grabbed by two men after a minor accident in lower Bucks County, shortly before 2 p.m., shoved into the back of a Cadillac and driven away.
She said that her 9-year-old daughter, Julia Rakoczy, had been with her but remained in her vehicle, a GMC SUV. It was not at the scene when cops arrived.
An Amber Alert was issued for the girl."



http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/20090527_Mom_abducted__daughter_missing.html


OK...I am back to FISHY STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As for the fishy story this was on the link you just posted as well. We're treating this as an abduction," said FBI spokesman J.J. Klaver, while acknowledging that there were "inconsistencies" in the woman's account.
I'm not sure what to think at this point, but the incondistencies make me wonder.

 

[lne1970]

Oh my, this is not looking good. More cell calls make me feel better, but I can't get the thought out of my head that she's driving down to central Philly while making them and then dumping the car. I pray for Julia. I'll add in "rough" neighborhood to her current claim of two black men and a 90's model black caddy. Just too convenient.

"It seems like a very distressed call," Vanore said. "You could tell she was scared."

Susan Smith sounded pretty scared too. JMHO.

 

[Linda7NJ]

As for the fishy story this was on the link you just posted as well. We're treating this as an abduction," said FBI spokesman J.J. Klaver, while acknowledging that there were "inconsistencies" in the woman's account.
I'm not sure what to think at this point, but the inconsistencies make me wonder.

The biggest problem with her story is ..it doesn't make sense from the get go! No way could she have been forced into the truck at THAT intersection without someone seeing something.......and her story goes downhill from there.

 

[Winnts]

I live in the town this occurred. This is a highly unusual crime for this area. I'm not saying it wasn't a random crime but if it was random it's bizarre to say the least.

One other thing, this abduction took place literally a block away from the police station.