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

[ArianeEmory]

If this picture of the house involved in the shooting is correct and there is a red truck at the residence, I am not so quick to rule it out as something pertaining to this case. Could be a suicide situation and could still be very much connected! :twocents:

I'm still keeping an eye on WFAA and FB, but the Facebook post has turned into a typical comment squabble (over whether or not Saginaw is a good place to live), so there's no info coming in there.

 

[kukla]

Oh, wow, I had never heard of this case, but, from Wikipedia:



I was a kid who walked to school during the time of these crimes (mid-late 70s). This article brought out a memory I had forgotten: there were houses along the way to school that had a red letter in the window (I think maybe it was P? for Parent?) that, as kids, we were told we could run to if someone was bothering us. I wonder if it was because of these murders, or a separate community program that just happened to be going on at the time. Anyone remember this? This was in the U.S. southwest.

Yes, I remember this. We called them "E" moms because they had a big letter E in their front window. We had a whole presentation at our school about it, so we would know what to do.

 

[Magdalyn]

Oh, wow, I had never heard of this case, but, from Wikipedia:



I was a kid who walked to school during the time of these crimes (mid-late 70s). This article brought out a memory I had forgotten: there were houses along the way to school that had a red letter in the window (I think maybe it was P? for Parent?) that, as kids, we were told we could run to if someone was bothering us. I wonder if it was because of these murders, or a separate community program that just happened to be going on at the time. Anyone remember this? This was in the U.S. southwest.

Not me, but I do remember Mr. Yuck from my 70s childhood. (anyone? Mr. Yuck is mean...Mr. Yuck is green....Mr.Yuck who warns you what/where is poison?)

But seriously, I hadn't heard of this. But my 70's-80's childhood was in WI, KS, KY, and OH. Was there some way the "P Parents" registered/were background checked by LE before getting their "P" endorsement?

I'm just imagining a "P Predator" putting one of these stickers in his window to lure kids. Ugh!

 

[ArianeEmory]

Yes, I remember this. We called them "E" moms because they had a big letter E in their front window. We had a whole presentation at our school about it, so we would know what to do.

E, that's right. It must have been E for Emergency or something?

 

[blue22]

Oh, wow, I had never heard of this case, but, from Wikipedia:



I was a kid who walked to school during the time of these crimes (mid-late 70s). This article brought out a memory I had forgotten: there were houses along the way to school that had a red letter in the window (I think maybe it was P? for Parent?) that, as kids, we were told we could run to if someone was bothering us. I wonder if it was because of these murders, or a separate community program that just happened to be going on at the time. Anyone remember this? This was in the U.S. southwest.

I was told it was actually started in Australia (or New Zealand, maybe? One of those two.) in the 70's, but I never heard why it was started. Here, their were a card sort of thing in the windows. It was called "block parent." I remember as a kid (I was mostly an 80's kid) my mom told me NOT to go into block parent houses...ever. She was molested by a block parent. She has a brother who is deaf and has some disabilities and he didn't get off his bus that day. She walked to the block parent house, to ask for what she should do. Wouldn't ya know, the dad was a monster. The block parent program really died off here in the mid 80's, and I haven't seen it since. I have heard some similar stories of people my mom's age. There was controversy surrounding the whole program, so it just stopped.

 

[Magdalyn]

Oh, wow, I had never heard of this case, but, from Wikipedia:



I was a kid who walked to school during the time of these crimes (mid-late 70s). This article brought out a memory I had forgotten: there were houses along the way to school that had a red letter in the window (I think maybe it was P? for Parent?) that, as kids, we were told we could run to if someone was bothering us. I wonder if it was because of these murders, or a separate community program that just happened to be going on at the time. Anyone remember this? This was in the U.S. southwest.

And wow, now I'm reading about this, this is near where my husband grew up...and was a grade schooler when this happened. Must go interview husband. BRB!

ETA: Nevermind. Husband recalls nothing. Claims grade-school amnesia. *sigh*

 

[athy]

when i was growing up in the late 60's in NJ we use to have houses with "helping hands" in the window that would signify a "safe house".

 

[JustJeannie]

Not me, but I do remember Mr. Yuck from my 70s childhood. (anyone? Mr. Yuck is mean...Mr. Yuck is green....Mr.Yuck who warns you what/where is poison?)

But seriously, I hadn't heard of this. But my 70's-80's childhood was in WI, KS, KY, and OH. Was there some way the "P Parents" registered/were background checked by LE before getting their "P" endorsement?

I'm just imagining a "P Predator" putting one of these stickers in his window to lure kids. Ugh!

Ah, Mr. Yuck... He graced so many items in my house when my boys were small.

Also when they were small, our school had a similar program. The poster had an adult sized hand print, and it was known as the "Helping Hands" program. I was a stay at home mom at the time, and we had one. My husband and I both had to go through a background check before our house was designated a Helping Hands home.

But now that I think about it, it has been years since I've seen one. I suspect the schools and LE were worried about liability if someonr slipped through.

 

[SCHMAE]

I wonder how often, if ever, the police can prove a suspect owned an item from an amazon purchase history? I'm a heavy Amazon user & would say most of the nonfood items in my home were ordered from Amazon.

Especially if it were an unusual make/brand/size item, maybe the police could get the identity of people who made that particular purchase within a 100 mile radius of the crime.

If the crime was not planned and the person just used items that were in the home to wrap her up, they might not have considered how they could be tied to the items later ....

E

Nice thinking. I would imagine a lot of folks by less 'innocent' items on amazon because they don't want to be seen buying them in public. ( think *advertiser censored* for example< NOT in this case, just as a random example) But they don't realize the electronic trail is much bigger than just going into a brick store and buying it. I'm sure all stores have cameras up now anyways so it's not like you can purchase ANYTHING without someone seeing.

 

[Magdalyn]

Hi ... new to this case but not to WS. Three of the four victims of the Oakland County Child Killer (old, cold case) were found along roads. But the details were very different, as the children were kept for days and laid out in a particular fashion. It's a scary case ... and very different in most ways from this one. But FWIW:

Oakland County Child Killer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

IMO, the perp in that case is deceased, though it's possible they were tandem acts. I mention it mainly because a team effort has been discussed here, which I think the evidence might support (in terms of how the body was found).

In the OCCK case, the bodies were left in public view to taunt the public and LE, IMO. I'm not sure that's the case here, though the use of restraints might be some sort of signature, I suppose. Hopefully it's not anything like the case I mentioned ... but the red truck and previous report does make me a little nervous.

RIP, Alanna. Heartbreaking case.

Hmm. Again with the child victims being sexually assaulted and then redressed.

Now off to read all of gitana1's and MsFacetious's links. (Yes, I'm backward thread reader...)

 

[imkeylime]

... I was a kid who walked to school during the time of these crimes (mid-late 70s). This article brought out a memory I had forgotten: there were houses along the way to school that had a red letter in the window (I think maybe it was P? for Parent?) that, as kids, we were told we could run to if someone was bothering us. I wonder if it was because of these murders, or a separate community program that just happened to be going on at the time. Anyone remember this? This was in the U.S. southwest.

Respectfully snipped by me. That's interesting ... I don't remember if we had such letters in windows in Oakland County (SE MI), TBH. I was a teenager at the time and probably not as scared as I should have been. I made up for it as an adult/parent!

I hear people say how things that happen now didn't happen then. Maybe those letters and programs helped?

I'm really not sure what to think in this case. It seems a person in the neighborhood would have had opportunity, but if the red truck is legit, i.e., seen at both this site and that of the previous situation, I'd consider someone driving around and looking.

 

[cluciano63]

IMO, everything LE is doing says they don't have a suspect in this case.

 

[theyamqueen]

The buzz on the Saginaw News Facebook is that this was an intruder that was shot. Teenage kids and parents live at the residence. Looks like it probably isn't involved in this case. I was sure hoping there would be some resolution today.

 

[Magdalyn]

There are a couple of others cases of kids found in/next to the street.
They just didn't get as much publicity.

Most were just "tossed out" so where they landed was not a conscious choice.


Tennielle Big Day was found dead on a highway
Mom had pushed her out of the vehicle.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=192601&highlight=hit+car



Alijah was left on the side of the road, by his father

http://www.khou.com/news/local/Trav...ce-for-slaying-3-month-old-son-130360933.html



Baby Crystal was found just off the road, Mom put her there.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87834&highlight=katie+stockton



Baby Boy Horry also found on the side of the road, left by a parent it's assumed (unidentified)

http://www.carolinalive.com/news/story.aspx?id=832393#.Ud-5Mm2AxLw

Thanks for pulling these cases together for us.

All sad and horrifying. But with all my might, I now wish I could unread and/or expunge from my brain what I've just read about poor sweet Alijah.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

Is it possible that LE is not warning the public, telling them a killer is on the loose, because that's what the killer wants? LE is still putting up billboards, searching cars, getting hair samples from neighbors, asking if people saw certain cars, talking about checking to see if another abduction is related, etc. Compared to other cases I have followed, they do seem to be looking for an outsider who committed this crime. Maybe LE thinks the body was dumped intentionally to spark fear in Saginaw, and they don't want to give the killer what he wants?

 

[Pensfan]

Hmm. The news and all the vocal people that attended the daytime candlelight vigil were incorrect when they stated that none of the parents attended. Today, one hour ago, the Saginaw News FB page, Laura posted that she did attend the daytime candlelight vigil. This post is under the entry which states "Saginaw Texas News added 5 photos to the album".

 

[Pensfan]

when i was growing up in the late 60's in NJ we use to have houses with "helping hands" in the window that would signify a "safe house".

A sicko would make a replica of one of those hands and put it in his/her window. If NJ is no longer doing that, that's the reason why.

 

[skibaboo]

I've been thinking about this for days, I thought it looked like material, bandana? Bit of rag, even thought it was motor oil at one point. But I wonder if it could be a bike lock missing the 'lock' Something that lots of people have around the house/garage and could be used as a restraint.

 

[SapphireSteel]

If it were my child, I would not be able to attend hardly anything I'm sure.

It would be a struggle to even get out of bed in the morning. :cow:

I don't read a damn thing into the way the loved ones react in the early days.

I have seen a parental suspect behave as guilty as can be, yet end up proven totally innocent.

I have not viewed anything of these parents however so just a general comment.

 

[Magdalyn]

I've been thinking about this for days, I thought it looked like material, bandana? Bit of rag, even thought it was motor oil at one point. But I wonder if it could be a bike lock missing the 'lock' Something that lots of people have around the house/garage and could be used as a restraint.

I wish we knew what the scale was. AFAIK, there isn't anything identifiable within the frame for us to know if what we're looking at is the size of a silver dollar (like a plastic buckle from fanny pack).....or the size of a fanny pack. :waitasec:

Did the original article that had this picture refer to it as a piece of plastic?