DeeDee, I really respect you, I think you're one of the top assets on this forum but Ive seen you say this before-- that they didnt want their son to see his sister's body -- but imo I just cant see these parents having the unselfish empathy to care about what Burke might see. To me, it just doesnt fit.
I struggled with why, if they were guilty or if HE was guilty, how could they trust him not to talk when out of their sight.. until someone here said (Im sorry but i dont recall who) that even nine year old boys are smart enough to keep their mouths shut when they're guilty.
It helped me cement my own BDI opinion.
I struggled with the question of sending Burke off with friends if he was guilty, or even knew what happened. Someone here, and like you I cannot recall who, pointed out that it was better that Burke be with family friends who were likely to be treating him with kid gloves, than in the house with the Police who's quesitoning might be a lot tougher.
Of course, as it turned out the police treated the prime suspects with kid gloves instead of questioning them forcefully as they shoud have, at least
once the body was found in the house. But, the Ramsey's could not have known it would be so easy. They figured there was much less risk of him talking to family friends, especially after what I bet were very stern warnings.
I do, however, believe that the fact that they let him out of their sight at all that morning strongly points to the fact that they knew full well there was never a kidnapping.