TX TX - Joshua Davis, 18 months, New Braunfels, 4 Feb 2011 - # 5

[Noway]

Would it have been easier for Joshua to navigate through that brush? I mean he is smaller obviously, but his experience walking through something like that would be pretty limited (or nil) too.

 

[Dee10]

Would it have been easier for Joshua to navigate through that brush? I mean he is smaller obviously, but his experience walking through something like that would be pretty limited (or nil) too.

ITA, wouldn't he either be buzzing around or almost falling asleep with Toy Story? And what would possess him to go outside in the dark & cold (let alone the high bushes/field) with the house filled with all the activity? My kids would be buzzing around with with everyone there, a video they would watch another time. It makes no sense to me; the whole thing does not add up IMO & I wish it did.

 

[Kat]

Would it have been easier for Joshua to navigate through that brush? I mean he is smaller obviously, but his experience walking through something like that would be pretty limited (or nil) too.

I can't even hazard a guess Noway.

I thought of something else though when you asked your above question.

Invariably in CenTex when I would walk in, near or around a field like that I would find sand spurs (from weeds) all over me. I would find them stuck to the bottom of my shoes by the handful.

Those suckers are painful but not as painful as the goatsheads you get in El Paso. Either one, if you are walking on them barefoot it doesn't matter how tough your tootsies are, it's going to hurt enough to get your attention. I don't see him pulling them out and continuing to walk away. JMHO.

I can't say there are any in the fields near his house but I'll be honest everyone, if there isn't? I'll be pretty much blown away.

JMHO.

 

[Inspector Gidget]

I just want to share a little bit of insight from personal exeriences from having lived in Central Texas for nine years. It's my own experience and my vary from other's who have lived there.

See what looks to be tall weeds? (I'm from KY and have lived in the South USA and the midwest USA at times and if that is your point of reference it is natural to think of them as tall weeds and therefore easy to pass through because they would bend and sway as tall weeds tend to do)

That's actually brush. Brush bordering on scrub. It is not easily passable. It would be difficult for me as an adult to make headway across a field filled with that brush/scrubby brush. I know I have tried to walk a field like that more than once and just could not make headway across the field and had to retrace my steps and find another route to where I wanted to walk to.

That right there puts a small shadow of doubt in my mind as of right now that this 18 month old baby navigated the fields behind his home or directly across the street from his home if they have brush and/or scrub like that especially in the thick of darkness.

I just don't see him making it very far into that brush in pitch darkenss. I don't imagine that there is a lot of lighting around those fields that illuminate those fields in the evening clearly enough to walk them and see where you are going.

Let's say he did make it out of the house, and he entered those fields to wander off. It goes against all of the experiences that I have had a Mom to think that this baby wandered off into the dark night. He wandered off across brush filled fields(s) where the brush was taller than him and he couldn't see which direction he was headed in. Why wouldn't he sit down where he was in that pitch black freezing field and cry for his parent(s)?

It isn't jibing for me now that I've had a look at those fields if they are the fields close to his home.

All JMHO.

I just don't think he wandered away in the cold ,dark weather.Why would he when he has a warm house,food ,and Toy Story to watch.I am glad you explained the picture and yes I thought they were weeds

 

[Inspector Gidget]

I do think they should keep searching,someone might have placed him out in those fields.
Baby Joshua come home

 

[Tuffy]

I just don't think he wandered away in the cold ,dark weather.Why would he when he has a warm house,food ,and Toy Story to watch.I am glad you explained the picture and yes I thought they were weeds

The police apparently don't think he's wandered off either. I don't think it's for the reasons you listed, though. Plenty of kids "escape" from warm houses for no good reason. My own did, just to "take a walk." lol

I still think he wandered away on his own, but I can't explain how. I actually can't come up with any story of what happened that sounds "right" to me. This whole incident is so strange. I really, really wish we knew more.

 

[Tuffy]

I just want to share a little bit of insight from personal exeriences from having lived in Central Texas for nine years. It's my own experience and my vary from other's who have lived there.

See what looks to be tall weeds? (I'm from KY and have lived in the South USA and the midwest USA at times and if that is your point of reference it is natural to think of them as tall weeds and therefore easy to pass through because they would bend and sway as tall weeds tend to do)

That's actually brush. Brush bordering on scrub. It is not easily passable. It would be difficult for me as an adult to make headway across a field filled with that brush/scrubby brush. I know I have tried to walk a field like that more than once and just could not make headway across the field and had to retrace my steps and find another route to where I wanted to walk to.

That right there puts a small shadow of doubt in my mind as of right now that this 18 month old baby navigated the fields behind his home or directly across the street from his home if they have brush and/or scrub like that especially in the thick of darkness.

I just don't see him making it very far into that brush in pitch darkenss. I don't imagine that there is a lot of lighting around those fields that illuminate those fields in the evening clearly enough to walk them and see where you are going.

Let's say he did make it out of the house, and he entered those fields to wander off. It goes against all of the experiences that I have had a Mom to think that this baby wandered off into the dark night. He wandered off across brush filled fields(s) where the brush was taller than him and he couldn't see which direction he was headed in. Why wouldn't he sit down where he was in that pitch black freezing field and cry for his parent(s)?

It isn't jibing for me now that I've had a look at those fields if they are the fields close to his home.

All JMHO.

Thanks for your insight. I've not tried walking through something like that, so didn't know how easy it may have been. You've got some first hand knowledge, so I appreciate your perspective.

Also, the sands spurs that stick in your feet. Those I do know about! Those will have even my tough-as-nails dog limping.

I'd like to go over there just to satisfy my curiosity. I wouldn't go near the family's home, just in that general area to see what the landscape looks like. I'm out of town right now, but when I get back, I think I'll take a drive over there.

I hope that before I get the chance, we hear some more news. This story is so sad. The last few cases I followed are still unsolved. Kyron, and Gabriel. I hate that.

 

[HiHater]

Has there been any mention of what the 6 year old was doing that night? Would he be going outside, watching the movie with SB, or watching the game with his dad...

Speculating but maybe the baby could have followed the 6 year old outside? Then it's not that he's leaving his warm house, it's that he's doing what the big boy is doing...

 

[not_my_kids]

They say no news is good news, but when you're a Websleuther, no news is just maddening.
Joshua where are you?

 

[Hopeful One]

They say no news is good news, but when you're a Websleuther, no news is just maddening.
Joshua where are you?

My thoughts exactly!! I've been going crazy lately because on every case I'm following, there's basically NOTHING!! Where are all of these missing people????

 

[LCoastMom]

Just a reminder of what the searchers have to contend with:

Notice how much open empty space is behind and around their home:



There is so much brush and thick grass:

For some reason, I just really think he's out there. I want so much for them to find him. I had given up hope of them finding Caylee, and then they found her. I would not have thought anyone could find that tiny, little girl where they did, either.

Even if it's too late to save him, I really hope they can find him.

In addition to the tough ground cover; according to the US weather service with sunset at 614 the temperature reached a high of 45* at 420 PM (23* at 3AM 2/5) - average temp was 33* - with wind gusts of 17 to 23 MPH

There was freezing rain, sleet and fog - how far could this little guy go with no shoes, hat or jacket?

 

[RebaKennedy]

Thx to Kat and LCoast Mom regarding the conditions. LCoast Mom's info on the freezing temperatures that night along with Kat's on the terrain - setting here at a keyboard within 30 minutes drive of that location, I can confirm they are totally on point. It was really, really cold that night and that brush is thick and tough to get thru, much less inspect in detail. That's hard going.

One thing I wanted to add, as gross as it might be. We have lots of big, black buzzards here in this area. Drive down a neighborhood street, and you'll see them boldly surrounding roadkill. Rarely does a day go by, driving around the San Antonio area, that you won't see three or four of them circling overhead. Just saw some circling around the sky yesterday afternoon from my back deck, matter of fact. Used to be, they'd leave here in the winter but not now. We've got them year round.

As tragic as it is, it is also true that any human remains in this area - as scruffy as the uncleared ground would be to search - would have those big black birds giving an alert. Even in the coldest of days, they'd be there.

Grumsome, I know. But this is one reason that I don't think that the baby is out there.

Before getting to law enforcement and search efforts considerations, I'm pondering the darkness, the freezing temperatures, the buzzards, and the bloodhounds.

I don't see wandering off as a viable explanation here.

Here's a link about the birds:
http://www.passporttotexas.com/birds/oct00.html

 

[TGIRecovered]

I'll back you up on that RebaK! I am a few hours north of NB, and I just saw a big hawk flying around the property behind my home this afternoon. I wouldn't think of going on a search without tall boots and heavy jeans. Scrub brush is full of spikey things like thorns and broken twigs, not to mention the critters that bite!

When toddlers get scared, tired, cold or upset they tend to run blindly or throw themself down on the ground and just wail. I don't see that baby fighting his way thru scrub brush and tall, dry grass...barefoot, cold, wet and in the dark! If a predator got him and ran into the brush, there would have been a strong enough scent for the dogs to track it.

 

[Ives]

I really hope law enforcement is on the ball, because the news is void of any mention of joshua.

 

[sarx]

If ever a picture was worth a thousand words, those are.

 

[HiHater]

Baby Joshua will be on NANCY GRACE!

8 PM est...

Eta his story he is still missing...

 

[katydid23]

he is on NG later in the show

 

[panthera]

I just want to share a little bit of insight from personal exeriences from having lived in Central Texas for nine years. It's my own experience and my vary from other's who have lived there.

See what looks to be tall weeds? (I'm from KY and have lived in the South USA and the midwest USA at times and if that is your point of reference it is natural to think of them as tall weeds and therefore easy to pass through because they would bend and sway as tall weeds tend to do)

That's actually brush. Brush bordering on scrub. It is not easily passable. It would be difficult for me as an adult to make headway across a field filled with that brush/scrubby brush. I know I have tried to walk a field like that more than once and just could not make headway across the field and had to retrace my steps and find another route to where I wanted to walk to.

That right there puts a small shadow of doubt in my mind as of right now that this 18 month old baby navigated the fields behind his home or directly across the street from his home if they have brush and/or scrub like that especially in the thick of darkness.

I just don't see him making it very far into that brush in pitch darkenss. I don't imagine that there is a lot of lighting around those fields that illuminate those fields in the evening clearly enough to walk them and see where you are going.

Let's say he did make it out of the house, and he entered those fields to wander off. It goes against all of the experiences that I have had a Mom to think that this baby wandered off into the dark night. He wandered off across brush filled fields(s) where the brush was taller than him and he couldn't see which direction he was headed in. Why wouldn't he sit down where he was in that pitch black freezing field and cry for his parent(s)?

It isn't jibing for me now that I've had a look at those fields if they are the fields close to his home.

All JMHO.

This is the first I've had a chance to look at the brush, and I cannot imagine a toddler without shoes going into that in total darkness. It would be difficult enough during the daytime for him to navigate through there without being scratched, poked in the face, etc. Now that I have seen the photos I would definitely say "no way" did he wander into that without screaming his lungs out for help! MOO

 

[katydid23]

LE is on NG now

 

[katydid23]

LE looking at different possible scenarios

NG is asking him about moms poly

he says he cannot answer that