ID ID - Michael “Monkey” Vaughan, 5, last seen near home, Fruitland, 27 Jul 2021 #1 *endangered*

[ElementalLaura]

We’ll now that’s unusual. LE usually keeps everything tight to the vest.
If Fruitland LE is lead I’m guessing this is overwhelming but I’m still surprised to see them writing about it.

Good for him. As the article says, LE has invested a lot of time and effort to find little Michael and they can’t help but become emotionally involved in the case. Sounds like he’s calling in some pros to try to keep the search from becoming overwhelming.

Acknowledging how a prolonged search (especially IMO for a child) can affect well-being helps to destigmatize mental health care and may encourage anyone with personal struggles to seek assistance.

IMO, he’s demonstrating good leadership.

 

[Cardinal47]

Good for him. As the article says, LE has invested a lot of time and effort to find little Michael and they can’t help but become emotionally involved in the case. Sounds like he’s calling in some pros to try to keep the search from becoming overwhelming.

Acknowledging how a prolonged search (especially IMO for a child) can affect well-being helps to destigmatize mental health care and may encourage anyone with personal struggles to seek assistance.

IMO, he’s demonstrating good leadership.

Respectfully disagree. I think he's demonstrating weakness.
I've never seen this in any case I've followed.

 

[watergirl62]

Good for him. As the article says, LE has invested a lot of time and effort to find little Michael and they can’t help but become emotionally involved in the case. Sounds like he’s calling in some pros to try to keep the search from becoming overwhelming.

Acknowledging how a prolonged search (especially IMO for a child) can affect well-being helps to destigmatize mental health care and may encourage anyone with personal struggles to seek assistance.

IMO, he’s demonstrating good leadership.

Seconded. I think they take it personally because it is such a close-knit community, which adds more pressure to them individually to keep searching for Michael. MOO

 

[MoeInVA]

I just did some more RSO research and it has left me feeling nauseous, but with no new leads. (Other than that the Redwing RSO also has a brother not far from there who is an RSO from the same decades old case). Stepping away from the research.

I am hoping for some official news on little Michael Vaughan today.

 

[K9Enzo]

Good for him. As the article says, LE has invested a lot of time and effort to find little Michael and they can’t help but become emotionally involved in the case. Sounds like he’s calling in some pros to try to keep the search from becoming overwhelming.

Acknowledging how a prolonged search (especially IMO for a child) can affect well-being helps to destigmatize mental health care and may encourage anyone with personal struggles to seek assistance.

IMO, he’s demonstrating good leadership.

Spot on. These type of searches, especially for a child, where they can't see an end point in sight is very taxing on both the mind and body. More SAR teams and LE departments are taking this seriously and strongly encouraging EPA programs and even mental debriefings with team members. I always feel for the person or small team that has to make the decision for everyone to scale back or stop a search until credible info comes in. (On a side note - I'm a big supporter of Mission 22)

I agree this shows strong leadership that takes care of their own. This does not mean the investigation stops or if this little boy was met with foul play the person should rest easy. IMO

 

[Doghairrules]

Seconded. I think they take it personally because it is such a close-knit community, which adds more pressure to them individually to keep searching for Michael. MOO

I agree. Good for the Chief!

 

[MoeInVA]

It seemed like very early on, search and rescue was deemed thorough but Monkey was not found. SAR teams were called off and no national BOLO issued.

Why? While the search basically ruled out that he was lost in the area, why did they seem to rule out that he was abducted out of the area?

Do you think they have had a suspect since early days and evidence but just not enough?

Upthread I hypothesized they must have seen him on camera and found every vehicle on camera in the neighborhood to determine he had not been taken out of the neighborhood.

But what else could the cameras have shown, what else could they have found to convince them there was no point to a BOLO?

The police chief is telling the public that hoping is helping. But that seems contradictory to the going LE theory based on the actions LE has taken (or lack thereof).

They are doing the bare minimum public awareness. They appear not to want to take any questions on camera. All of which suggests to me foul play is still strongly suspected, but not abduction out of the area.

All MOO

 

[iamnotagolem]

It seemed like very early on, search and rescue was deemed thorough but Monkey was not found. SAR teams were called off and no national BOLO issued.

Why? While the search basically ruled out that he was lost in the area, why did they seem to rule out that he was abducted out of the area?

Do you think they have had a suspect since early days and evidence but just not enough?

Upthread I hypothesized they must have seen him on camera and found every vehicle on camera in the neighborhood to determine he had not been taken out of the neighborhood.

But what else could the cameras have shown, what else could they have found to convince them there was no point to a BOLO?

The police chief is telling the public that hoping is helping. But that seems contradictory to the going LE theory based on the actions LE has taken (or lack thereof).

They are doing the bare minimum public awareness. They appear not to want to take any questions on camera. All of which suggests to me foul play is still strongly suspected, but not abduction out of the area.

All MOO

I agree they must have good reason to think he’s still in the neighborhood.

On one of the FB news sites a neighbor posted that they’ve searched their property 5 times, so to keep going back they must have some evidence that he never left that street.

 

[Cardinal47]

In my opinion this has been a very different kind of missing case.

 

[Allabouttrial]

Respectfully disagree. I think he's demonstrating weakness.
I've never seen this in any case followed.

I genuinely want to understand why you think it demonstrates weakness?

I do think LE's limited briefings is starting to factor into a lot these missing persons cases in terms of sleuthing. And it's only going to get worse. I think SM is playing a huge part in their silence.

 

[Cardinal47]

I genuinely want to understand why you think it demonstrates weakness?

I do think LE's limited briefings is starting to factor into a lot these missing persons cases in terms of sleuthing. And it's only going to get worse. I think SM is playing a huge part in their silence.

I think we always want to think of our police department as strong, forceful and standing tall. That’s their mission. Strong and intelligent and able to get any job done and done well.

My husband was a former Police Commissioner so he sometimes struggled with officers having work and personal problems.

But…those problems were never for the public eye. They were handled internally behind closed doors.

I’ve followed a whole lot of cases over the years and I’ve never heard a police chief make that kind of statement.

 

[Allabouttrial]

I’ve followed a whole lot of cases over the years and I’ve never heard a police chief make that kind of statement.

Snipped by me.

Unless they were appealing to a possible POI? A friend/relative of that person.

Not that it won't taking a toll but saying it publicly could mean something or nothing.

 

[MoeInVA]

Snipped by me.

Unless they were appealing to a possible POI? A friend/relative of that person.

Not that it won't taking a toll but saying it publicly could mean something or nothing.

Agree. IF there is a strategy to these messages a big IF),

• Appeals to people who may be frightened to come forward (old, young, vulnerable, related to poi)
• Appeals to people sympathetic to mom, siblings, extended family (no pics of dad, maybe the target of the appeal hates dad or blames dad)
• Appeals to people sympathetic to searchers /LE, who might move the body/evidence to alleviate this ongoing torture (and media attention)
• moo

 

[ElementalLaura]

<RSBM>
Why? While the search basically ruled out that he was lost in the area, why did they seem to rule out that he was abducted out of the area?
<snip>
But what else could the cameras have shown, what else could they have found to convince them there was no point to a BOLO?
<snip>
All of which suggests to me foul play is still strongly suspected, but not abduction out of the area. <snip>

Snipped for focus.

I'm with you -- I'm not sure what led to this conclusion. They had FBI CARD team deployment, so there are expert advisors on this. What could they have?

IMO, speculation only, some possibilities, very open to striking and/or adding additional:

1. He wasn't alone when last seen. His companion(s) can't be identified for some reason (too far away, neighbor recognized Michael but not other person, poor resolution, etc). They were on foot. Companion(s) may have appeared too young to drive.
2. Two cameras, one or both have street views, close together with blind spot between them. He's seen walking past the first camera toward the second, not seen on second, no vehicles captured.
3. They've found some sign of Michael -- a favorite toy? clothing? -- within the neighborhood but away from the street. Park? No other evidence.
4. He went to the doors of several neighbors who reported this or saw him on camera. Not every neighbor. Perhaps reports came in from a neighbor or two further away than he's wandered before. Then he isn't reported seen again.

Thoughts?

 

[MoeInVA]

Snipped for focus.

I'm with you -- I'm not sure what led to this conclusion. They had FBI CARD team deployment, so there are expert advisors on this. What could they have?

IMO, speculation only, some possibilities, very open to striking and/or adding additional:

1. He wasn't alone when last seen. His companion(s) can't be identified for some reason (too far away, neighbor recognized Michael but not other person, poor resolution, etc). They were on foot. Companion(s) may have appeared too young to drive.
2. Two cameras, one or both have street views, close together with blind spot between them. He's seen walking past the first camera toward the second, not seen on second, no vehicles captured.
3. They've found some sign of Michael -- a favorite toy? clothing? -- within the neighborhood but away from the street. Park? No other evidence.
4. He went to the doors of several neighbors who reported this or saw him on camera. Not every neighbor. Perhaps reports came in from a neighbor or two further away than he's wandered before. Then he isn't reported seen again.

Thoughts?

Thank you! To be this sure, I’m thinking they must have seen a poi and are still just piecing it together. I hope!

 

[Cardinal47]

Snipped for focus.

I'm with you -- I'm not sure what led to this conclusion. They had FBI CARD team deployment, so there are expert advisors on this. What could they have?

IMO, speculation only, some possibilities, very open to striking and/or adding additional:

1. He wasn't alone when last seen. His companion(s) can't be identified for some reason (too far away, neighbor recognized Michael but not other person, poor resolution, etc). They were on foot. Companion(s) may have appeared too young to drive.
2. Two cameras, one or both have street views, close together with blind spot between them. He's seen walking past the first camera toward the second, not seen on second, no vehicles captured.
3. They've found some sign of Michael -- a favorite toy? clothing? -- within the neighborhood but away from the street. Park? No other evidence.
4. He went to the doors of several neighbors who reported this or saw him on camera. Not every neighbor. Perhaps reports came in from a neighbor or two further away than he's wandered before. Then he isn't reported seen again.

Thoughts?

I’m not clear on the tracking dogs. Did they pick up a scent and how far?

 

[Bluebythec]

I think we always want to think of our police department as strong, forceful and standing tall. That’s their mission. Strong and intelligent and able to get any job done and done well.

My husband was a former Police Commissioner so he sometimes struggled with officers having work and personal problems.

But…those problems were never for the public eye. They were handled internally behind closed doors.

I’ve followed a whole lot of cases over the years and I’ve never heard a police chief make that kind of statement.

I think in 2021 we are finally realizing that mental health is just...health in general. It is losing some of it's stigma and that's a good thing! The recent withdrawal of Simone BIles from the Olympic competitions is a good example of that. When your head is not in the right place you are a danger to yourself. Many of these people involved in the search have children the same age. They can't help but personalize it and that takes it's toll on them. We need to stop treating mental struggles as "weakness of character" and treat it more like we'd treat any physical ailment. When you know better you do better.

 

[Knox]

Fruitland Police Chief JD Huff talks about his team's mental health

In addition to law enforcement across the country stepping up to assist with tips that lead to their respective areas, Huff said Idaho State Police and the FBI continue to assist Fruitland Police Department on a daily basis. He said that they are coming later in the day so that they have a better chance of finding people at home and meeting with citizens and people who were in the area at the time of Michael’s disappearance.

He said some things in the search will change as we see a change and shift in seasons, and the water and irrigation gets shut down.

“We’re hoping that’s not where we find Michael, but everything is still on the table at this point as we continue to tighten up those possibilities,” Huff said.
Fruitland Police Chief JD Huff talks about his team's mental health

So tips are coming in which lead to areas across the country? That's a very large investigatory net. In addition- thirty days in, it sounds like they are still investigating locally. I noted he stated "citizens and people who were in the area at the time of Michael's disappearance". Interesting, my mind immediately goes to truck drivers, though it's much broader than that I'm sure.

 

[sassyblue]

He said some things in the search will change as we see a change and shift in seasons, and the water and irrigation gets shut down.

“We’re hoping that’s not where we find Michael, but everything is still on the table at this point as we continue to tighten up those possibilities,” Huff said.
Fruitland Police Chief JD Huff talks about his team's mental health

SBM
That's my fear...that he's in a canal and they missed him. MOO

 

[Cardinal47]

I think in 2021 we are finally realizing that mental health is just...health in general. It is losing some of it's stigma and that's a good thing! The recent withdrawal of Simone BIles from the Olympic competitions is a good example of that. When your head is not in the right place you are a danger to yourself. Many of these people involved in the search have children the same age. They can't help but personalize it and that takes it's toll on them. We need to stop treating mental struggles as "weakness of character" and treat it more like we'd treat any physical ailment. When you know better you do better.

Very well said. You are right and I’ll certainly think a bit differently.