Resolved FL - Port St Joe, 2 Children 96UMFL & 66UFFL, bound & gagged in photo, Jun'89

[Billylee]

This boy's eyes look to me similar to the one's in the first photo.

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/f/franko_anthony.html

Also this one looks like a possibility:

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/b/betz_patrick.html

The second photo, received later, looks similar but not the same to me.

 

[CarlK90245]

What strikes me about the photo is that the way that their mouths were taped, it was not an effective way to prevent them from opening their mouths and screaming if they wanted to. Jaw muscles are strong enough to pull the lower lip away from the adhesive surface of the tape.

If the objective was to to physically prevent them from making noise, one would need to put cloth or something like it inside the mouth, and hold it in with tape or a cloth strap wrapped entirely around their head.

My feeling is that this was a staged hoax.

 

[kirsty]

My feeling is that this was a staged hoax.

I have to agree.

When I look at the photo, to me, the kids dont appear to be frightened much, if that was me, I would be crying if I was kidnapped! they dont look scared! JMO

 

[Billylee]

Maybe it's just me but the little boy looks very much scared to me. The girl looks "pissed". When I blow the picture up, it's hard to say but the boy's neck looks bruised.

 

[Oriah]

I agree with this. The girl looks pissed to me (as per the way a 14-16 yr old girl might look under the circumstances.) The boy looks scared to me. Whether hoax or not...something did not go as planned?

If a hoax- a very bad one, because no one has fessed up over all these years (parents, caregivers, friends, etc.)

Same reason it concerns me as an actual/possible abduction.

Does ayone have any confirmation or contact info from the local LE about the original photo?

 

[Oriah]

Sorry- forgot to add that I think they look very much like siblings to me. The book possibly fitting with that, as well as the look on their faces.

 

[Billylee]

I think it's pretty obvious from the news reports that LE does not think it's a hoax, so why should we? I don't know if these kids were kidnapped, sex slaves, foster kids held by wacko's, who knows? They could have even been paid by someone to pose for bondage pictures that were then sold to some sick ****! The point is they ARE kids, and even if it does turn out it was a hoax, a sick person put them up to it. And why send a second picture to Port St. Joe years later? Something is up with this and it's well worth investigating, not just my opinion, by LE's too.

 

[Spurser]

I think we all just wish/hope that it is a hoax. Unfortunately, this type of thing happens all the time. We live in a sick world. Once, I was reading a thread about Johnny Gosch on another website. It was a legitimate, well known site. I clicked on one of the links that a poster provided that was supposed to have JG's pictures, but instead, very disturbing photos popped up. In the 2 seconds that it took me to get out of that site, I saw something that will bother me for the rest of my life. I called the police to report it but they couldn't really do anything about it.

 

[Oriah]

Yes. Been there, done that. Soooo frustrating.

 

[rpipergirl]

This case , the picture of the bound boy and girl was my first ever case. I was just 15 when mom and I saw it on A Current Affair with Maury Povich and it scared the bejeepers out of me as well as facinated me. Unfortuneately we did not have the internet yet then (1989). So, once we got online we looked for the old photo and began researching it and possible matches. That is what brought me to this thread. I really want to learn who they are/were.

 

[Spurser]

I really want to learn who they are/were.

I hear you! Don't we all! What do you know thus far? Maybe a fresh mind could bring up good info not thought of before.

 

[badhorsie]

I think we all just wish/hope that it is a hoax. Unfortunately, this type of thing happens all the time. We live in a sick world. Once, I was reading a thread about Johnny Gosch on another website. It was a legitimate, well known site. I clicked on one of the links that a poster provided that was supposed to have JG's pictures, but instead, very disturbing photos popped up. In the 2 seconds that it took me to get out of that site, I saw something that will bother me for the rest of my life. I called the police to report it but they couldn't really do anything about it.

I saw that too and really wish that I hadn't:furious:

 

[norest4thewicked]

I googled this but was unable to find it. If this is in the wrong spot, please move it to the correct one.

Does anyone remember a case many years ago where a black and white photo was released via newspaper that showed a teenage girl and a younger male child side by side with tape on their mouths?

I have wondered throughout the years about this photo...whether it was a hoax or ever solved. I can't remember any details except that it was a newspaper clipping and they both appeared very frightened.

If anyone knows what I'm talking about, I'd love to find out whatever the conclusion was.

 

[carbuff]

I remember the photo you're talking about. I think there's a thread in here somewhere...

 

[WhyaDuck?]

I know for sure there's a thread here about this photo... Will see if I can track it down.

 

[carbuff]

Found it! Tara Calico: NM NM - Tara Calico, 19, Belen, 20 Sept 1988 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

 

[WhyaDuck?]

Found it! Tara Calico: NM NM - Tara Calico, 19, Belen, 20 Sept 1988 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

I am pretty sure there was another thread specifically about the photo - I remember, b/c I posted in it, but I cleared my subscriptions a couple of months ago. sigh.

 

[carbuff]

I am pretty sure there was another thread specifically about the photo - I remember, b/c I posted in it, but I cleared my subscriptions a couple of months ago. sigh.

Here's another one that includes discussion of the photos: OSBI Needs Help to Identify Woman Found In Photo - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community


And here's one about the photos: FL FL - Polaroid found of bound and gagged children, 1989 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

 

[WhyaDuck?]

FL FL - Polaroid found of bound and gagged children, 1989 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community


I remembered what I wrote in my post and searched for that.

ETA: And Carbuff beat me to it. Dang. :crazy:

 

[norest4thewicked]

Thanks guys! I will read everything today that you've posted. Feel free to post as much as you find on this...very interested!