TX TX - Joshua Davis, 18 months, New Braunfels, 4 Feb 2011 - # 3

[~greeneyedgirl~]

Not sure if this has been mentioned in regards to Joshua snatching his Daddy's beanie, in our house when the guys are watching a game it's pretty intense and not one of them are sitting back in their seats. They are always on the edge of their seat as if something big is about to happen. This leaves quite a bit of room for little man to be on the couch behind Daddy for hat snatching. Daddy tells him to quit and he smiles and gets down from the couch but Daddy doesn't see or notice because the games on and his attention is there. A quick response over his shoulder kwim... It's takes literally a second for an 18 month old to scamper away and if Daddy told him no then went back to the game why would he pay attention to where Joshua went... They are in their own home with other adults.

This is all just my own opinion only ... I don't think Mommy or Daddy had anything to do with this. I think he scampered away, in a spunky mood ( kids think it's a fun game when u tell them no), I think he managed to get outside and was the victim of a snatching because he was outside alone.... A horrible horrible crime of opportunity....

You know kind of like that lost puppy u find, u know he belongs to someone but he's just so freaking cute u wanna keep him. Please don't anyone take offense to my puppy statement I'm just using it as an example of what I'm trying to say...

I pray this sweet boy is found/brought home/dropped off somewhere public..... Soon

 

[TXHOPE]

Do we know how severe his asthma was? I only ask because my youngest son had weakened lungs from a very bad bout with pneumonia. (We were told it was cystic fibrosis, but that's a different post.) He was on breathing treatments three times a day, 2 of steroids and 3 of albuterol. Through a nebulizer, because he was too little for an inhaler yet.

Of those five treatments that we had to give him, missing one could severely impact his health. We had schedules, and were very careful, but I did miss one every now and then and those were the worst nights we had with him in terms of his breathing. His lips, eyelids and nail beds would turn blue, and that was after one missed treatment. He was about as bad as you could get and still treat it with a nebulizer.

Was Joshua's this severe, was it more severe but only with certain triggers, was he considerably better than what we went through? If the pediatrician gave a twenty four window, partilly based on temperature, then he must not be completely dependent on the machine. Is is only as needed, is he on a medication schedule? This would help us a lot with knowing what was a feasible scenario as far as what could have gone on inside the house, and would hint at structure and schedules too.

I was wondering this same thing. How often does he have attacks? Does he currently have a cold or cough that may bring an attack on? My son had asthma at his age from being a preemie but only had 2-4 attacks a year and only when he had a serious cold. It would get serious, he had to be hospitalized once for it but attacks didn't occur very often. How serious is Joshua's asthma? How often does he need to use his nubulizer?

 

[cluciano63]

If LE has truly used each type of dog correctly, there should have been a trail straight to this baby, if he was on foot. I am having a hard time getting past this. At least one dog should have picked up his scent.

PS- The other thing, as far as basketball game, it is February, which is not exactly high season for even the NBA, playoffs don't start for two more months, any game that would have been on would be a relatively routine game, not really anything special. As for college b'ball, there was even less of interest on that night, mostly the Ivy League teams in the Northeast.

 

[Tuffy]

Okay... been reading about this one for a day or 2.... here's what I think:

I think following these cases makes me a little wigged out. I think reading about all these horrible cases can sometimes cause me to immediately suspect the worst of parents

After reading about this one though, I'm not seeing parental involvement or even an abduction. I see a house full of people, family. Dad and others are totally involved in a basketball game. Mom is lying down watching a movie. Others are ... I don't know... playing cards? Visiting around the table? I don't know, I haven't read or heard about that. So we have all these people in the house just watching tv, visiting, etc. and here's little Joshua toddling back and forth. I can totally see where people were just half paying attention... there is a sense of security because of the number of people present. Someone steps outside to smoke, maybe comes back in, the door doesn't latch or catch properly.... Joshua leans up against it and.... out he toddles. One can lose sight of a toddler in seconds (this I know from experience), it didn't have to take long at all. In the time it takes you to blink -- he's gone.... nobody noticed, if someone did notice he wasn't in the room, they just assumed he'd wandered back to the bedroom... or into the living room....

I don't see a real issue with the timeline, either. Mom says she last saw him at 7:40, dad says "about 8:00" .. which could mean 7:43 for all we know.... its subjective.

I think baby Joshua wandered out an unsecured door and out into the night. I think we'll be surprised at where he's found, he probably wandered further that we think, or in a direction they didn't think of. He's so small, he'd be hard to find, plus it was very cold so he probably curled up in something or under something, seeking shelter.

I realize I can't explain why the dogs can't find him..... I wish they could.....

Poor baby boy.

I have exactly the same take on this as you.

 

[SurfieTX]

Okay... been reading about this one for a day or 2.... here's what I think:

I think following these cases makes me a little wigged out. I think reading about all these horrible cases can sometimes cause me to immediately suspect the worst of parents

After reading about this one though, I'm not seeing parental involvement or even an abduction. I see a house full of people, family. Dad and others are totally involved in a basketball game. Mom is lying down watching a movie. Others are ... I don't know... playing cards? Visiting around the table? I don't know, I haven't read or heard about that. So we have all these people in the house just watching tv, visiting, etc. and here's little Joshua toddling back and forth. I can totally see where people were just half paying attention... there is a sense of security because of the number of people present. Someone steps outside to smoke, maybe comes back in, the door doesn't latch or catch properly.... Joshua leans up against it and.... out he toddles. One can lose sight of a toddler in seconds (this I know from experience), it didn't have to take long at all. In the time it takes you to blink -- he's gone.... nobody noticed, if someone did notice he wasn't in the room, they just assumed he'd wandered back to the bedroom... or into the living room....

I don't see a real issue with the timeline, either. Mom says she last saw him at 7:40, dad says "about 8:00" .. which could mean 7:43 for all we know.... its subjective.

I think baby Joshua wandered out an unsecured door and out into the night. I think we'll be surprised at where he's found, he probably wandered further that we think, or in a direction they didn't think of. He's so small, he'd be hard to find, plus it was very cold so he probably curled up in something or under something, seeking shelter.

I realize I can't explain why the dogs can't find him..... I wish they could.....

Poor baby boy.

I normally would agree, but someone brought up a good point - who closed the door behind him? It was very, very cold in TX that day (at least cold for us southerners). It would be obvious right at the get-go if a door was left open and the frigid air was in the house.

 

[MsFacetious]

The Hunter Road location is interesting to me, since that's the same general area that they said he was found in when the fake info came out on Facebook. Curiouser and curiouser.

There is a little bit of truth in every lie? :waitasec:

Maybe they think that whoever started the rumor about Hunter Road really was trying to help them find Joshua? Just didn't want to call them directly or tell them how he got there? Maybe they think there is some truth to it after all? Or maybe they just don't have anything else?

I would have thought the same thing, if my two year old hadn't wandered out in 30 something degrees in pajama shorts and no shoes...it can happen and when they are focused on something or excited, they don't feel the cold.

I broke several ribs chasing my own 3 year old when she escaped 4 years ago. Out into our snow/ice covered driveway. She was heading towards the horses/road and she wouldn't have stopped at either. Just as I got to her and leaned down to grab her I fell. She is lucky I didn't fall on top of her and I'm lucky I didn't puncture a lung.

My daughter does have sensory issues which really prevent her from feeling pain... but I think many kids would not realize immediately that they were uncomfortable in the cold. That's why parents have to make them put on coats and gloves.

I also think that with 7 adults in the house, Toy Story on and a basketball game on... if Joshua did get out... then start crying... it's possible they didn't hear him.

 

[tamfish]

I normally would agree, but someone brought up a good point - who closed the door behind him? It was very, very cold in TX that day (at least cold for us southerners). It would be obvious right at the get-go if a door was left open and the frigid air was in the house.

With that many people inside a small house, the heater blowing... a little fresh, chilled air might have felt like a relief. Heck, someone may have cracked the door for that purpose and is afraid to say so.

Or, someone comes along, sees the door slightly ajar and closes it, with no thought that Joshua is outside -- they assume he's lying down with Momma or playing in the next room......

 

[cluciano63]

How would he have closed this door? Does it swing shut and latch automatically? Most doors to the outside do not...if he had given it a good push to close it behind him (unlikely in my opinion) it seems he would have slipped on the steps.

 

[not_my_kids]

Okay, I've been focused on the people in the house, but what about the people that weren't? Was anyone supposed to be there, but never showed? Could that person, assuming that there is one, have been coming up to the house as Joshua was coming away from it and seen their chance?

 

[SilkySifaka]

I normally would agree, but someone brought up a good point - who closed the door behind him? It was very, very cold in TX that day (at least cold for us southerners). It would be obvious right at the get-go if a door was left open and the frigid air was in the house.

If the door was only opened wide enough for a toddler to slip through it could have easily just closed itself.

Or he got out when the friend left for something and returned, or he got out when someone went for a cigarette.

One thing I remember doing during shows or games is going outside and immediately turning to watch it through the window. That is a perfect time for a toddler to get behind you totally unseen. Door would likely be cracked open as you smoke, thats what I did.

imo

 

[Tuffy]

How would he have closed this door? Does it swing shut and latch automatically? Most doors to the outside do not...if he had given it a good push to close it behind him (unlikely in my opinion) it seems he would have slipped on the steps.

or blow shut? It's been very windy at night here. I'm not certain about that night, but I have been hearing the wind whistle through the trees.

 

[ajk]

ive been following this case and reading all the post and i pray that Joshua is found safe and warm. I do have a little one who has to shut every door that he goes through. its something i have to wait on him to do so we can get to another room at times. so maby he did get out and shut the door. even if it opens to the inside he can close it, might take a little longer to do but not impossible. with all the adults in the house and all the noise i think would be going on he could have gotten out and shut the door unnoticed. please bring this precious baby Joshua home safely.

 

[trigger]

On NG last night LE said this about the door..

PENSHORN: Well, again, whenever our officers arrive at a scene, when you can -- when you look at the doors, they actually have a glass storm door, and an interior door. And literally the entire time that our officers were there, the interior door would be open. The exterior glass door with the faulty latch was the only one that was closed. Very conceivable that the child could have wandered off undetected.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1102/10/ng.02.html

On this video inside the house, the door was left open

http://www.ksat.com/news/26783062/detail.html#video

 

[MsFacetious]

I normally would agree, but someone brought up a good point - who closed the door behind him? It was very, very cold in TX that day (at least cold for us southerners). It would be obvious right at the get-go if a door was left open and the frigid air was in the house.

People keep forgetting about the other child that was in this house.

LE specifically said "2 children." The 6 year old and another one. Along with the 7 adults. They didn't specify if that 9th person was being counted as Joshua or the "other baby" that Joshua was "interested in."

My Dad and brother constantly leave the door open when they come in. You have to shut it deliberately for it to shut. My kids notice immediately if it's not shut and they will shut it. They couldn't tell you a couple of hours later if they shut it. We notice the dog is gone but the door is shut... how did she get out. No kid remembers shutting the door.

If someone left the door open when they came in or left.

The people in the house may not notice because of people going in and out. (Maybe to smoke.)

Then Joshua got out.

Then the 6 year old noticed the door open.

Then the 6 year old shut the door.

Then the 6 year old didn't remember doing that, because it wasn't really a big deal.

That would explain this.

PS- The other thing, as far as basketball game, it is February, which is not exactly high season for even the NBA, playoffs don't start for two more months, any game that would have been on would be a relatively routine game, not really anything special. As for college b'ball, there was even less of interest on that night, mostly the Ivy League teams in the Northeast.

sbm

Routine?! A routine game?! :waitasec:

When you are a true fan there is no such thing. :snooty:

We plan our schedule around the games and I don't miss one if I can avoid it. I don't even sit down most of the time during games. My girls are in their pajamas or jerseys for every game, even if it means I do a load of laundry that day. We went to the airport at 2am in the rain when they won the conference finals. :crazy:

Joshua's Dad seems to be pretty into basketball too. The Mavericks won that night, which would have been the 7pm game. That would be have been a good games for fans. So would the Spurs, but they played at 9pm. But you don't have to be terribly into a game to not notice an 18 month old wandering around. Men are not the most observant creatures to start with. An 18 month old probably isn't going to sit on your lap and watch a game either.

I get very into my games. But I also know where my children are at all times. Men don't have the gift of multi tasking. They lack the ability to be cussing out the referee on TV, while simultaneously looking into the kitchen to see what their child is doing. :innocent:

 

[sarx]

Been in and out all day, no news?

 

[peeples]

Been in and out all day, no news?

Sadly I don't think so, not that i can find....

 

[gngr~snap]

There sure has been a lot of talk about Joshua and toys...
I wonder if this will fit in to what happened to him???

Another distraction centered on a toy that was found resting on a mailbox

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Bloodhounds-join-search-for-toddler-1001661.php

Benitez, also speaking on HLN, said she was watching "Toy Story" with Joshua shortly before 8 p.m.

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-02-08/justice/texas.missing.boy_1_toddler-amber-alert-child?_s=PM:CRIME

"I hate seeing my kid's toys and him not playing with them."
"I wish I had him here for the toys to be dirty or the room to be dirty. I wish I had him here."

http://www.ksat.com/news/26775759/detail.html

 

[cluciano63]

Possibly due to his/her age, no one is saying much about what the other child was doing, while it could be important and we just don't know. Many toddlers would want to follow around another older child, if all of the adults were preoccupied. Although I am having a hard time believing that all of the 6 adults besides mom were so fascinated with some game on TV that no one was paying attention to a toddler. Usually a toddler will not allow that to happen.
I freak out if a door is open for a few seconds in my house, for fear my cat will slip out and have to rush and find him at once, to make sure he is safe. I just can't believe that so many adults were so oblivious knowing that a very mobile small child is going from room to room, doing heaven knows what. Something bad was almost bound to happen, if no one was paying attention, it doesn't take long, obviously.

 

[katydid23]

"I hate seeing my kid's toys and him not playing with them."
"I wish I had him here for the toys to be dirty or the room to be dirty. I wish I had him here."
=================================================

I have to admit, when I saw that clip of the dad, I felt a bit weird about the wording.

The word DIRTY made me wonder if the boy 'dirtied' his pants. That is quite often a trigger in abuse. Maybe dad lost his temper, mom was asleep, and he went too far. Is it the dad's family that lives there?

 

[not_my_kids]

What's the simplest answer to this one? That he wandered off or that the parents harmed him?

Before the interviews and all the digging, what was everyone's original opinion? Mine was that he wandered away, still a viable possibility.