GUILTY TX - Alanna Gallagher, 6, Saginaw, 1 July 2013 - #5

[jjenny]

I thought about this type of scenario, but I have difficulty believing this was an accidental death. Normal person discovers Alanna in their pool/hot tub/yard, and their normal, non-pervy mind immediately thinks to stage this as an abduction/sexual assault/murder?

Also, if Alanna wandered into someone's yard and was fatally injured or fell into someone's pool and drowned, then the person isn't even at fault. I just can't fathom that they would panic to the extent that they would stage something this grotesque and risk being caught with her dead body in their vehicle, close to their house, in this condition (certainly indicating murder/sexual assault).

ITA. It makes no sense whatsoever to stage an accidental death as sex crime/abduction/murder.
If anything, somebody might attempt to hide the body, not to stage it the way it appears to be a crime by a sex predator.

 

[mikeysmommom]

It seems to me that with all the kudos DNA and all the newest crime fighting sciences we now have cases like this one and many many other we read about here just take too long to even just find a suspect! I do not watch any CSI shows just the real ones but I admit I am impatient and also worried that who ever killed this beautiful little girl is still on the loose!I do hope parents in the area are being extra careful no matter what the police say,a dangerous predator is in that area..........

 

[Linda7NJ]

IMO It really doesn't mean much that they've arrested no one yet.
There are cases where LE knows who it is, and no arrest is made until all ducks are in neat little rows... Sometimes that takes a very long time.

 

[fred&edna]

ITA. It makes no sense whatsoever to stage an accidental death as sex crime/abduction/murder.
If anything, somebody might attempt to hide the body, not to stage it the way it appears to be a crime by a sex predator.

I agree. Again, it goes back to assuming sexual assault.

 

[human]

And if a child died of delayed drowning, why the crazy murder scene?

I have no idea what the neighborhood is like, but it appears that the houses are really close.

It does not appear that children can run through back yards from one house to the next.

So to me, it seems like she went into someone's home. Or, she could have been lured into a car backing out of a driveway as she is walking by it.

With the houses so close, it seems hard to imagine that no one noticed anything. But when you live close to others, maybe you learn to tune things out?

The deed would have to be done somewhere and it sure seems more plausible in a house than in a car somewhere. Even a van as where would that be not to be noticed?

 

[epiphany]

Symptoms/Warning Signs of Dry Drowning:

“It can take a while for the process to occur and to set in and cause difficulties,” Rauch said. “Because it is a lung process, difficulty breathing is the first sign that you would be worried about.”

The second sign is extreme fatigue, which isn’t always easy to spot. “It’s very difficult to tell when your child is abnormally tired versus normal tired after a hot day and running around in the pool,” Rauch said. “The job of the lungs is to get oxygen into the blood and your brain needs oxygen to keep working, so when your brain isn’t getting oxygen, it can start doing funny things. One of them is becoming excessively tired, losing consciousness and the inability to be aroused appropriately.”

Finally, there are changes in behavior, Rauch said — another tough call when dealing with very small children, whose moods and behavior can change from one minute to the next.

http://www.today.com/id/24982210/ns...ghts-hidden-danger-dry-drowning/#.Ud9TMFO9yr8

Hadn't it been reported that Alanna was running in & out of home most of day?

 

[21merc7]

It seems to me that with all the kudos DNA and all the newest crime fighting sciences we now have cases like this one and many many other we read about here just take too long to even just find a suspect! I do not watch any CSI shows just the real ones but I admit I am impatient and also worried that who ever killed this beautiful little girl is still on the loose!I do hope parents in the area are being extra careful no matter what the police say,a dangerous predator is in that area..........

Thank you, that is all I have been trying to say all day without coming right out and saying it.

This is not a safe town/city/whatever it is, for any children, even if no one is saying it. In fact, NO ONE had said it is. They have no one in custody and have NOT made announcements to say it is okay to let your children play in your yard. ETA: LE never said anything about safety, that is what no one means.

Forensics on the items found with the child will bring something. That does not happen quickly, like t.v. in an hour or so. The tests take time, sometimes weeks. It is because the tests literally do take time, not just spinning in a vial like on t.v. and most places don't have labs. Even if they did, the tests really do take time, they are not rapid. I'll have to eventually find some links on that for WS, or anyone else can if they want.

Labs are backed up with other murders, including children and adult murders.

I hope all know that their children should only play with an adult outside now. That is of utmost importance.

 

[mikeysmommom]

Not common. In this study it occurred in 5% of children who had drowned/near drowning.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1714551/

I first read about it last year when an elderly man in NY was pulled out of the harbor he fell in accidentally.He seemed fine and did not go to the hospital and the next morning his wife found him dead.They said he had drown. I have been a water baby since the age of 2 and never heard of it.Best to go to the hospital if you or anyone you know has a near drowning experience.It happens to all ages not just children.

 

[Magdalyn]

Excellent points!

I was assuming no sexual assault, but what "condition/s" leads you to think there was sexual assault? Was it the lack of clothing or that plus more?

('Just trying to generate additional thinking on my part... NOT being snarky, mean or any other bad thing!)

I know you weren't asking me, but I thought I'd jump in. I feel like this was a non-parental/non-sibling murder. Just my gut feeling. So for me, unless this is one of those "I just wanted to see what killing was like" psycho kid-on-kid killings, I can't imagine any other reason a person would abduct a child and murder them. I mean, the cases I've followed here, I can't remember a stranger abduction of a child where they only abducted them just to kill them. They sexually assaulted them first, then killed them so they couldn't talk.

And I don't think she was running around the streets in her panties, so I'm deducing they mostly undressed her, or completely undressed her, then put her panties back on. I can't imagine someone mostly undressing her without sexual intent. But that's just me! :seeya::twocents:

 

[cluciano63]

I understand the need for LE to make sure they look at everything before focusing on a suspect, but if they were at all close to an arrest, would they really go ahead and let billboard companies give up space for free, just to placate future defense attorneys, to show they did not zero in one only one person? That space costs a lot of money to the companies donating it.

 

[Kat]

What type of person finds a deceased 6 yr old in their pool/spa/hotub..etc. and instead of screaming...or yelling for help...fishes her out, takes off her clothes, stages a crime(s)?

Is it possible? Yes. Is it plausible? Not IMHO.

 

[Anna Morphic]

I have looked for this info on the various threads on this case, but I may have missed it. Did the news reports say that Alanna was not reported missing until two hours after her body was found, and has there been an explanation for that? I don't get how that could have happened, and I'm wondering if I misunderstood, so I had to register to ask.

Also want to say I've been lurking on WS on and off for several years, whenever I want info on a case that's in the news. Y'all are some seriously thoughtful and informative folks. I probably won't post much, but just wanted to thank you for the great forum. :seeya:

 

[Linda7NJ]

Thank you, that is all I have been trying to say all day without coming right out and saying it.

This is not a safe town/city/whatever it is, for any children, even if no one is saying it. In fact, NO ONE had said it is. They have no one in custody and have NOT made announcements to say it is okay to let your children play in your yard. ETA: LE never said anything about safety, that is what no one means.

Forensics on the items found with the child will bring something. That does not happen quickly, like t.v. in an hour or so. The tests take time, sometimes weeks. It is because the tests literally do take time, not just spinning in a vial like on t.v. and most places don't have labs. Even if they did, the tests really do take time, they are not rapid. I'll have to eventually find some links on that for WS, or anyone else can if they want.

Labs are backed up with other murders, including children and adult murders.

I hope all know that their children should only play with an adult outside now. That is of utmost importance.

Everyday, everywhere would be my preference!

 

[Kat]

Welcome to posting at WS Anna!

 

[Pensfan]

ITA. It makes no sense whatsoever to stage an accidental death as sex crime/abduction/murder.
If anything, somebody might attempt to hide the body, not to stage it the way it appears to be a crime by a sex predator.

Gerberth has clearly outlined three types of crime scene staging.

1. The most common type of staging occurs when the perpetrator changes elements of the scene to make the death appear to be a suicide or accident in order to cover up a murder.

2. The second most common type of staging is when the perpetrator attempts to redirect the investigation by making the crime appear to be a sex-related homicide.

3. Arson represents another type of staging.

Vernon J. Geberth, Practical Homicide Investigation: Tactics, Procedures, and Forensic Techniques, 4th edition, 22 (2006)
http://digitalcommons.law.ggu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1023&context=theses

 

[floridamomma]

That's really interesting. Never heard of that. Thanks for linking it

also known as dry drowning. scary!

 

[Linda7NJ]

I understand the need for LE to make sure they look at everything before focusing on a suspect, but if they were at all close to an arrest, would they really go ahead and let billboard companies give up space for free, just to placate future defense attorneys, to show they did not zero in one only one person? That space costs a lot of money to the companies donating it.

Tips could also add evidence to the case they're building on a suspect. LE can never have too much evidence.

 

[21merc7]

We do not know if there was sexual assault.

We do not know if there was torture.

We do not know if someone nabbed her for their own nefarious deeds.

We do not know if young or old perp.

We do now know if she was in the neighborhood unsupervised. That is the words of one neighbor, but did a father not stay home with no job? Did the neighbors not look out like all do?

We do not know what happened to this child.

We do know her body was found approximately one mile away from her home, wrapped in a bag on her head, taped hands and feet, tarp wrapped around and moved, deceased.

Until some form of medical and legal standing becomes public, we have nothing but a bound and deceased child not far from her home.

Work with that, and not the media spin on the family, or anything else.

 

[fred&edna]

I know you weren't asking me, but I thought I'd jump in. I feel like this was a non-parental/non-sibling murder. Just my gut feeling. So for me, unless this is one of those "I just wanted to see what killing was like" psycho kid-on-kid killings, I can't imagine any other reason a person would abduct a child and murder them. I mean, the cases I've followed here, I can't remember a stranger abduction of a child where they only abducted them just to kill them. They sexually assaulted them first, then killed them so they couldn't talk.

And I don't think she was running around the streets in her panties, so I'm deducing they mostly undressed her, or completely undressed her, then put her panties back on. I can't imagine someone mostly undressing her without sexual intent. But that's just me! :seeya::twocents:

Thanks for jumping in.
BBM Considering there was sexual assault... I've been puzzled as to why he would put her panties back on? I suppose he just partially undressed her?

 

[cypress]

Excellent points!

I was assuming no sexual assault, but what "condition/s" leads you to think there was sexual assault? Was it the lack of clothing or that plus more?

('Just trying to generate additional thinking on my part... NOT being snarky, mean or any other bad thing!)

I don't believe this was an accident, so operating off the assumption that it wasn't an accident -- someone killed her on purpose. Why does someone abduct and murder a child? A thrill killer doesn't really need to remove her clothes, you know? I guess he/she could keep them as souvenirs, but it seems improbable.The discovery of her wearing only underwear implies sexual assault, IMHO. Also, sadly, most of the time children aren't just abducted to be killed.

I'm no expert, but statistically speaking, when a child is abducted and murdered, most of the time there is a sexual assault component.