GUILTY FL - Melvin Duclos, 3 wks, Jacksonville, 2 March 2010

[Kimberlyd125]

This family is Haitian - We don't know the story. For all we know the parents could have come here from Haiti after the earthquake - the family seems very large. I don't think we should jump to conclusions yet. Let's wait and see what happens. I think if the last name was Smith or Thompson then yeah.. waiting a few hours is DEF hinky after someone takes your baby and claims to be DCF!!! But being that they are foreigners I am gonna go with benefit of the doubt.

I don't think they are "new" foreigners. I've found marriage records for the owner of the house. Married in FL in the 90's.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

How do we know the parents are not younger kids in college?

 

[NSC]

I don't think they are "new" foreigners. I've found marriage records for the owner of the house. Married in FL in the 90's.

Yes but how do we know this is not their grandchild?? The owners of the house??

 

[badme102]

This family is Haitian - We don't know the story. For all we know the parents could have come here from Haiti after the earthquake - the family seems very large. I don't think we should jump to conclusions yet. Let's wait and see what happens. I think if the last name was Smith or Thompson then yeah.. waiting a few hours is DEF hinky after someone takes your baby and claims to be DCF!!! But being that they are foreigners I am gonna go with benefit of the doubt.

I'm sorry but if they had the presence of mind to tell LE that there was a "suspicious" woman following them and watching them at the hospital, I'm thinking they should know not to give their baby to a stranger without calling somewhere first.
They called LE hours later, and knew how to do it then.

I WANT to give them the benefit of the doubt, I really do. If they had called LE immediately or within minutes, I might be able to do so.

Just my opinion.

 

[KaylynnCouture]

Street view of the street Melvin was abducted from.

Looks like a nice neighborhood.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

Yes but how do we know this is not their grandchild?? The owners of the house??

I'm thinking it IS their grandchild.

 

[NSC]

How do we know the parents are not younger kids in college?

They might be - I have no clue Kim - I am only throwing it out there as it could be anything. There are obviously very worried family members as they are posting on their facebooks.

 

[KaylynnCouture]

Just one thing I wanted to point out..

The initial reports are saying that the parents took the newborn for a checkup at the hospital and there was a suspicious woman following them around. Then, the parents and baby Melvin left the hospital and went to run errands. THEN they came back to their house..where, a short time later, the same woman from the hospital came and took the baby.

To me, this means most likely the lady had to follow them while they ran their errands. Otherwise, she wouldn't know where baby Melvin lived. UNLESS this is someone that knows the family (which, I don't think is the case here).

So, if I were LE..I think they should check the places where the parents ran the errands before returning home. Surely some of the stores would've had surveilance cameras and maybe could've caught more glimpses of the woman and car.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

I'm sure there are worried family members. Any family member would be worried I'm assuming.

 

[NSC]

I'm sorry but if they had the presence of mind to tell LE that there was a "suspicious" woman following them and watching them at the hospital, I'm thinking they should know not to give their baby to a stranger without calling somewhere first.
They called LE hours later, and knew how to do it then.

I WANT to give them the benefit of the doubt, I really do. If they had called LE immediately or within minutes, I might be able to do so.

Just my opinion.

That is a good point.

This one is a toss up for me.

The last mom I believed out of the gate duped me, IMO.

I am getting more jaded but I still hope for the best in people. Prayers to baby Melvin that he be found safe and sound!

 

[Patty G]

Just one thing I wanted to point out..

The initial reports are saying that the parents took the newborn for a checkup at the hospital and there was a suspicious woman following them around. Then, the parents and baby Melvin left the hospital and went to run errands. THEN they came back to their house..where, a short time later, the same woman from the hospital came and took the baby.

To me, this means most likely the lady had to follow them while they ran their errands. Otherwise, she wouldn't know where baby Melvin lived. UNLESS this is someone that knows the family (which, I don't think is the case here).

So, if I were LE..I think they should check the places where the parents ran the errands before returning home. Surely some of the stores would've had surveilance cameras and maybe could've caught more glimpses of the woman and car.

There would also be cameras at the hospital.

 

[armywife]

The only way I will buy this story is if the parents are foreign.

There is a comment by a cousin on this article (third comment).
http://www.news4jax.com/news/22722889/detail.html

It indicates that they are from Haiti, and that they were not aware of how these things were handled in the US. How scary. I pray they can find the baby quickly.

 

[KaylynnCouture]

Looks like someone related to Melvin (I'm thinking another cousin, but may be an uncle) was in the news recently for slipping painkillers in customers' food at a Burger King. He was charged with poisoning food with intent to injure or kill a person.

I'm sure that's not related, but I found it interesting.

 

[NSC]

There is a comment by a cousin on this article (third comment).
http://www.news4jax.com/news/22722889/detail.html

It indicates that they are from Haiti, and that they were not aware of how these things were handled in the US. How scary. I pray they can find the baby quickly.

Yes, I believe that --- being that they were at the hospital today -- they prob thought they failed a test of sort?

If I were in Russia or some foreign country I would have NO CLUE what was going on!!!!

 

[KaylynnCouture]

There would also be cameras at the hospital.

You're right. I was just saying maybe additional cameras at the places they ran errands would help LE catch additional glimpses of the car/suspect. The more photos they have, the better.

 

[badme102]

That is a good point.

This one is a toss up for me.

The last mom I believed out of the gate duped me, IMO.

I am getting more jaded but I still hope for the best in people. Prayers to baby Melvin that he be found safe and sound!

Please don't get me wrong, I'm struggling with guilt every time I post something like that. It's just an opinion, and I hope I am wrong.
No matter the outcome or the perpetrator, I am praying that this little angel is alive and well.

That is really all that matters in the end.

 

[badme102]

FWIW -- there's a comment to article here http://www.news4jax.com/news/22722889/detail.html

commenter (chelle) says that Melvin is her cousin, family is Haitian & doesn't understand DCF protocol...they're all very worried

That's the exact comment that has me feeling horribly guilty for what I've been thinking. I guess I am rather jaded too.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

There was a case a few months ago (maybe more), Yair Carillo from Tennessee. The mother was also followed by a woman around town on her errands. The abductor claimed to be with immigration, demanded to see papers, attacked, and Yair (4 days old) was taken.

It does happen.

Yair was found alive a few days later. If I'm remembering correctly, video surveillance did help in that case.

I'm hoping that Melvin will also be found quickly.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

I still don't get it. They have a ton of family here. Some if not all have been here for quite a while. You hand your baby over without calling someone who would know? Or even call a family member before? Just to get an opinion.

I really hope I'm wrong here, but to me it's hinky.

JMO

 

[NSC]

Please don't get me wrong, I'm struggling with guilt every time I post something like that. It's just an opinion, and I hope I am wrong.
No matter the outcome or the perpetrator, I am praying that this little angel is alive and well.

That is really all that matters in the end.

No No, I don't blame you. It is hard not be be skeptical in this day and age. :crazy:

I am a major flip flopper - i might change my mind 8 times a day until I see enough evidence to validate how I feel.

I hope they will have a good outcome -- it seems in these newborn snatching cases it is less likely to be a crazed sex offender but rather of someone who has lost a baby recently, posing to be pregnant - that sort of thing.