WA - Lindsey Baum, 10, McCleary, 26 June 2009 - #1

[Mendara]

That's my fear. I keep imagining her getting mad and deciding to take off for Daddy's house, then running into somebody who offered to "help" her get there.

I'm not sure what it is, but something about all the details of this case really sit wrong with me.

First WELCOME TO WS!

I have an issue with all of these poeple going online and posting about the case specifics, people who claim to know Lindsey, who were there and such.

I appreciate the tibits, but fear it will disturb the investigation. I worry about how quickly she vanished and about the posts about her NOT taking her usual route home - if this is true - then WHY whould she take another route? Who was on that route home? If this is a lie/rumor then why is this person lying? Maybe LE put this out there to specific people involved in the case to make them feel confident that they are not a suspect.

I don't know what to think.

 

[STEADFAST]

Looking at this map, it seems like a LONG way to walk by yourself. The most likely place for her to disappear would be right around the gas station.

Looks like about 800 yards, according to the scale line.

 

[Kat]

IIRC, Lindsey's father has not lived with them for two years. They (Mother and children) moved to McCleary without him at that time.

Her father is in the military. He lives in TN.

 

[momtective]

Welcome to all the locals and thank you for for being here at WS!

 

[STEADFAST]

Hi all, new user here. I'm in Olympia (25mi east of McCleary)

(SNIPPED by STEADFAST)

I don't think most people passing through (on the hwy, heading west) looking for gas would stop in McCleary. You can't see it off the hwy & it involves 2 stops & turns. I wouldn't say the exit/entrance 'grabs people.

I'm not sure about heading east. But i suspect it'd involve at least that ^. (+going over hwy)

I recall the bus station being pretty much a stones throw from the Shell station.

I think it is just a local transit station. I believe if the child had gotten on a bus a driver (or some one else on the bus) would've popped up. Not to rule out anyone involved with the bus station though. Some one might want to see if they can pull up the actual drop off schedule.

I have walked from that Shell station to the bus station (& beyond) during a prior 'event' (phelps family threatened to show up, didn't happen)

I thought about attending the vigil last night but after watching videos & reading here i think posters may (careful emphasis) have pointed out some legitimate (fishy) things.

I have read (i think) most but not all of this thread & touched off/on w/monkeys & insession. Fairly informed but not 'all in'.

The brother w/the fishing pole thing kind of bothered me. Was he seriously just fishing somewhere? If so where & who (if anyone) was with him? Any additional information on him or his fishin' ?

When i was last in McCleary to (photo) the prior 'event' (which didn't happen) i was actually harassed by a McCleary LEO. So at the moment, i'm not terribly a fan of them.

Not a 'journalist but i do sometimes show up to protests/events take photos & post online. Thought about heading out there.

Welcome to WS, jvk! My son went to college at The Evergreen State University. (They insist on the "The.")

I agree that McCleary would be an unusual place for anyone -- except maybe a local -- to stop for gas. I've been down that highway a number of times and never even realized there was a gas station there, not even when we were desperately running out of gas!

That picture does look like there's a gas station at the end of the road. However, it's labeled as looking west down Maple, which would be away from the gas station.

So confusing.

 

[Syttende]

Okay I will go and find the news source. The first I heard of it was when KK posted it to another crime board.

Also, it contradicts what the LE spokesperson said as of today about her disappearance. He doesn't say an alternate route was taken. He informs us that she left a home in the 600 block of Maple, traveled down to within a couple of minutes of reaching 3RD ST and then disappears.

KK is suggesting something other than what LE is reporting IIRC.

Hmm. I know I read it from a news source. Perhaps Kara told the news station the info.

Or it could be a part of the investigation LE is trying to keep hush-hush.

 

[MaedchenX]

Hmm. I know I read it from a news source. Perhaps Kara told the news station the info.

Or it could be a part of the investigation LE is trying to keep hush-hush.

I'm not sure LE would propagate false information as it relates to the route a missing child was last seen walking on. What could possibly be the benefit of that? I guess I am wary of anonymous online posters and those who potentially have an interest in reporting false information.

 

[distracted]

Hmm. I know I read it from a news source. Perhaps Kara told the news station the info.

Or it could be a part of the investigation LE is trying to keep hush-hush.

It's very frustrating. I personally just think it's sloppy reporting by the local news outlets.

Here's an example I snipped from an article in post #517:
She would have walked down Maple and would have had to cross 3rd Street, which is a main road in the town and has a crosswalk. At that point she would have had a short walk through a a commercial area, including a nearby bus station and a gas station. She would have had to cross the larger street, then back onto a residential street without a sidewalk and head down to her house at the 300 block of Mommsen Street, a dead-end residential neighborhood within view of the police station.

The bolded portion is by me. The word "would" means probably. This route would be the most direct route but she very well could have taken another route because nobody saw her past the end of Maple Street. That has been verified but beyond that, it's purely speculation, even on the part of LE imo.

Another route would explain why the dogs lost her scent.

 

[eyes4crime]

Some pics of the area where she disappeared.

"Looking west near 7th and Maple" (That would be the direction she was coming from.)

http://www.city-data.com/picfilesv/picv31511.php

"Sam's canal at Maple and 7th"

http://www.cityofmccleary.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={E826C197-7887-4FAA-83CE-EDA999FE502B}

"5th St. looking north from Maple"

http://www.tib.wa.gov/media/projectpictures/MCCLEARY/2-W-956(001)-1/01162008%20McCleary%205th%20Street%20looking%20north%20from%20Maple.JPG

I'm going to bump these great pics up...sure gives a feel for the small community.

There would have to be a reason for Lindsey to take such a long route around town...if she actually did! Maybe she noticed someone behind her and took off. This doesn't make sense. The town is quiet, very small, and as some say, not an attraction for even getting gas. Seems someone was prowling, looking, and had fantasies of meeting a child. My heart goes out to the family and to Lindsey's friends who should never have to experience this at such a young age.

 

[not_my_kids]

not_my_kids, is the supposed aunt that's posting on the site posted above the "M" you referred to in your theory? TIA.

No. I don't fully trust the Aunt M, but I don't think she was involved, at least not directly. I didn't realize when I typed everything out that half the people in McCleary have M as a first initial.

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Hi all, new user here. I'm in Olympia (25mi east of McCleary)



I had thought about posting this picture (found it online too) because i believe that is the shell gas station at the end of the road there. However I'm not 100% that would've been her route.

I have been to this gas station several times but it's been about 6+ months.

I should probably drive back out there just to be sure but here's some (probably useless) info that i recall

I recall the Shell station not being a direct shot off the highway.

I don't think most people passing through (on the hwy, heading west) looking for gas would stop in McCleary. You can't see it off the hwy & it involves 2 stops & turns. I wouldn't say the exit/entrance 'grabs people.

I'm not sure about heading east. But i suspect it'd involve at least that ^. (+going over hwy)

I recall the bus station being pretty much a stones throw from the Shell station.

I think it is just a local transit station. I believe if the child had gotten on a bus a driver (or some one else on the bus) would've popped up. Not to rule out anyone involved with the bus station though. Some one might want to see if they can pull up the actual drop off schedule.

I have walked from that Shell station to the bus station (& beyond) during a prior 'event' (phelps family threatened to show up, didn't happen)

I thought about attending the vigil last night but after watching videos & reading here i think posters may (careful emphasis) have pointed out some legitimate (fishy) things.

I have read (i think) most but not all of this thread & touched off/on w/monkeys & insession. Fairly informed but not 'all in'.

The brother w/the fishing pole thing kind of bothered me. Was he seriously just fishing somewhere? If so where & who (if anyone) was with him? Any additional information on him or his fishin' ?

When i was last in McCleary to (photo) the prior 'event' (which didn't happen) i was actually harassed by a McCleary LEO. So at the moment, i'm not terribly a fan of them.

Not a 'journalist but i do sometimes show up to protests/events take photos & post online. Thought about heading out there.

:wave: jvk Welcome to WS's! It's very helpful to have posters that are familiar with the area. Thanks so much for your insight & visual descriptions of the area. We all hope that you post more or answer any ?'s that many of us have about the area.

At 9PM is the town busy with many locals walking around at that time of the night or is it just a few here & there. Do you know how far the video store is that the news reports have said that Lindsey went to with her friends earlier in the day? TIA

I'm sure I can think of many more ?'s, but I'm multi-tasking at the moment, but wanted to welcome you here at WS's. I think you will find that we are all here to hopefully find this little girl & bring her home. It sure is looking dim as the days go by. I still have a wierd feeling about the arguement that her & her brother Josh had. I feel it is odd to be thinking about fishing when his sister is missing. The white car that has been mentioned bothers me too! :crossfingers:

:angel:

 

[christine2448]

Please continue here, thanks.