Found Deceased MI - Omarion Humphrey, 8, Lake Callis, 4 Jul 2015

[AzPistonsGirl]

I really hopes this turns out to be a lot of wasted resources when they find Mars alive somewhere, (as that is the best scenario IMO) but... well, yeah, feeling more sad than hopeful today.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Not much to the 5:00 update on Channel 4. Members of Omarion's family spent the night camping out in the vicinity of the Walmart in Burton due to a tip about him possibly being seen there. They played music that Mars likes in hopes of drawing him out of hiding. Nothing came of it. The last search team will head out at 6:00 and work until it turns dark. Nothing planned overnight.

 

[Jan]

I took a break to work on some dog rescue business so I don't know if a link to today's 2 p.m. presser has been posted, so here it is in case it hasn't. http://www.wnem.com/story/29477403/amber-alert-issued-for-missing-mid-michigan-child Omarion has not been found yet. Several dog hits were on the northeast side of Callis Lake but the dogs all lost the trail when it came to the edge of the woods. The FBI has searchers out and is working behind the scenes too. Searchers have covered everything up to nearly 3 miles from the lake. They haven't been in our subdivision yet but another group of searchers is going out at 6 p.m. so they will probably get to us. Both families of Omarion have been reported to be cooperative. More on 6 p.m. news in a couple of minutes.

 

[Lulu14]

I am confused. They are still searching for Omarion, yet have suspended the searched for Ember. All kids deserve to be looked for until they are found.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I am confused. They are still searching for Omarion, yet have suspended the searched for Ember. All kids deserve to be looked for until they are found.

I assume you are talking about Ember Graham who is missing in California. Omarion went missing in Michigan. Two different cases in two different states with different resources available for searching. I don't know the details of Ember's disappearance, but if searches have been discontinued, LE might know that the child is deceased or that someone has taken her. There is no indication that Omarion is deceased, and LE hasn't determined that the boy was abducted. Given his special needs status (severe autism), the circumstances make it challenging and unlike other cases of missing children.

 

[MsFacetious]

Ember didn't walk away - Mars did.
It's much harder to search for a small baby you believe was likely placed somewhere after death.
They are clearly looking for a body in Ember's case, while there is still hope Mars is alive.

 

[Mountaingazer]

Also in Ember's case if you read the Facebook pages and in the comment sections of some media facebook postings, you will see they are currently searching an area right now.

 

[Jan]

http://www.wnem.com/clip/11664551/police-discontinuing-large-scale-search
The large scale search has been discontinued. They never did cover the entire 5 mile radius that they had planned to cover. They never even made it as far as our house which is 3 miles from the park. No signs of Omarion. FBI and police are steadily working behind the scenes but, of course, won't tell us what they are doing. It's crazy how this little boy could just disappear from the face of the earth. Someone has a photo of a black woman carrying a black boy wearing black shorts and no shirt or shoes out of the splash pad. The person posted the photo but I don't know if the woman and boy have been identified yet. The photo isn't close enough or clear enough to tell if the boy is Omarion. Some of Omarion's bio family have been complaining that the police aren't doing enough to find Mars. Today they had 1000 professionals out searching for him all day and evening. What more do they want the police to do? Police, professionals, and ordinary citizens have been going to tremendous lengths to try and find Omarion. The ones complaining seem to be mainly his aunts and sisters, not his mom and dad. No one has heard a word from the foster parents but I guess they were told not to talk about it. The heads of the agency that hired the foster parents are "unavailable" to reporters that want to talk to them. I have no idea at this point where Omarion went but I don't think he is in the park or woods anymore and I don't think he drowned in the water either. Other than that, it's anyone's guess where he is.

 

[Jan]

Another short video from today. http://www.wnem.com/clip/11663851/search-emotionally-taking-its-toll-on-community

 

[michmi]

11 pm news had bio dad out looking for Mars, he didn't have anything negative to say about the search effort. I didn't realize he only has a bathing suit on and it's so cold out.

I'm starting to get a bad feeling about the foster family, I don't know why. If he's out there he needs to be found very soon.

 

[Jan]

http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2015/07/searchers_face_unique_hurdles.html
Photos and article at link. No luck yet in finding any sign at all of Omarion. Every place around here has been searched over and over. I really don't think he is close to the park anymore. I think he either walked very far from here or someone picked him up in a car. There should be some kind of signs if he had been in the woods. It's a real mystery. Going into the 6th day tomorrow. How long can a little non-verbal guy survive alone on his own with no resources? The whole thing is getting to be very discouraging.

 

[Jan]

There is going to be a prayer vigil at 9:30 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday) at the Abernathy regional park in Davison to pray for the safe return of Omarion.

 

[G.Keelie]

I rarely conclude abduction so quickly in a case with these circumstances....but, this poor child might as well have had a flashing sign above his head that said "vulnerable." Anyone observing the whole fiasco of him being repeatedly returned to the foster "family" could have formed a quick plan to lure him away.

Parents of autistic children have no choice but to attempt to do their very best to protect their child..having to learn and perhaps stumble on their way. The foster "parents" knowingly took an autistic child into their care and seem to have made no attempt to protect him. I don't understand this. If he is too much "work" they know what resources are available to them.

No matter the reason (short of severe abuse) for his placement into care, I feel badly for the bio parents. Whatever happened , they didn't "lose" him on their watch.

I know people are stressed and inappropriate comments are being made by SOME family members, but the community has done everything necessary, and a whole lot more. They have gone above and beyond and can never be faulted for that.

I just hope Omarion will be found soon and safe. BTW...that's a great name!

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

How has the foster family managed to keep their names out of the media? Has anyone here seen their names in print or in videos? I've watched/heard mostly every media report and have no idea who the foster parents are :waitasec: I read that Mars' parents have other children living with the same foster family. How many foster children do they have? Is a state agency protecting them? Why? A child disappeared under their watch. They should be held accountable. :moo:

 

[Tealgrove]

I spent an afternoon with a couple with a young son with autism. It was an eye opening experience. To be honest, I was completely exhausted just watching them trying to cope with their son and they were awesome. What became very clear, very early on in the afternoon was that as a parent of a child with autism is that "you are always on and watching". There is no rest. This child would run away and we ran after him. He never rested. It was a FULL TIME job to keep him safe from himself and his wanderings. It consumed ALL OF THEIR TIME.

I can't understand how a child with autism, who appears to be a wanderer, and requires a good deal of supervision, was placed in a foster home with 13 other children. How can that be?

This outcome was almost a foregone conclusion.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

...I can't understand how a child with autism, who appears to be a wanderer, and requires a good deal of supervision, was placed in a foster home with 13 other children. How can that be?

This outcome was almost a foregone conclusion.

The "numbers" of children in this case are mind-boggling. I heard/read that the bio-mom has 15 and that 11 had been placed in foster care. That in itself was overwhelming, but I didn't realize that Omarion had been placed in a foster situation with 12 other youngsters.

I now understand and appreciate why the biological mother was :stormingmad: about the State taking away her children and placing them elsewhere. Do these foster parents have any expertise in dealing with autistic children, or did they take in Omarion and some of his siblings for the $$$$$?

 

[SilkySifaka]

I spent an afternoon with a couple with a young son with autism. It was an eye opening experience. To be honest, I was completely exhausted just watching them trying to cope with their son and they were awesome. What became very clear, very early on in the afternoon was that as a parent of a child with autism is that "you are always on and watching". There is no rest. This child would run away and we ran after him. He never rested. It was a FULL TIME job to keep him safe from himself and his wanderings. It consumed ALL OF THEIR TIME.

I can't understand how a child with autism, who appears to be a wanderer, and requires a good deal of supervision, was placed in a foster home with 13 other children. How can that be?

This outcome was almost a foregone conclusion.

The other day in another forum I was reading about a story from a poster. He said his mom (adopted) used to say that black kids come a dozen for a dime, and she adopted 12 of them. He has now grown up and said he was abused as were the others. It was a money making thing for them. I wonder when I see 13 foster parents if that was the same

imo

 

[michmi]

I spent an afternoon with a couple with a young son with autism. It was an eye opening experience. To be honest, I was completely exhausted just watching them trying to cope with their son and they were awesome. What became very clear, very early on in the afternoon was that as a parent of a child with autism is that "you are always on and watching". There is no rest. This child would run away and we ran after him. He never rested. It was a FULL TIME job to keep him safe from himself and his wanderings. It consumed ALL OF THEIR TIME.

I can't understand how a child with autism, who appears to be a wanderer, and requires a good deal of supervision, was placed in a foster home with 13 other children. How can that be?

This outcome was almost a foregone conclusion.

Unfortunately, it may be that they valued his being with siblings in the same house higher than the ability of the adult(s) in the house to be able to supervise him properly. I agree that an active child with autism who wanders requires constant supervision, and a home with that many children couldn't possibly afford him that.

 

[hisjerseygirl]

How has the foster family managed to keep their names out of the media? Has anyone here seen their names in print or in videos? I've watched/heard mostly every media report and have no idea who the foster parents are :waitasec: I read that Mars' parents have other children living with the same foster family. How many foster children do they have? Is a state agency protecting them? Why? A child disappeared under their watch. They should be held accountable. :moo:

I'm wondering this too... according to the reports they were told multiple times to supervise him better that day...then he's gone. YOU weren't watching the child you're responsible for, you should be held accountable for that.

:gaah:

 

[JeannaT]

I spent an afternoon with a couple with a young son with autism. It was an eye opening experience. To be honest, I was completely exhausted just watching them trying to cope with their son and they were awesome. What became very clear, very early on in the afternoon was that as a parent of a child with autism is that "you are always on and watching". There is no rest. This child would run away and we ran after him. He never rested. It was a FULL TIME job to keep him safe from himself and his wanderings. It consumed ALL OF THEIR TIME.

I can't understand how a child with autism, who appears to be a wanderer, and requires a good deal of supervision, was placed in a foster home with 13 other children. How can that be?

This outcome was almost a foregone conclusion.

I think sometimes people don't understand what "constant" supervision means, and how exhausting it is. For a special needs child like this one, it means CONSTANT, not the kind of loose supervision you'd give a typical 9 year old at this park. I have a friend who has a child brushed with autism, and around water you had to watch him constantly. Not check on him, WATCH him because he didn't mind having his head underwater obnoxious, and he couldn't swim. As a result he was constantly nearly drowning. We went on a beach vacation with him and his dad - who was otherwise a great dad - didn't get this at all and it involved a couple angry fights between the couple. "Rob, when you watch him at the pool you have to WATCH him!" Rob was treating this child as you would another 4 year old, where you could glance up from a conversation every 30 seconds or so and make sure the child was okay. He'd be halfway to drowning doing that.

So I think it may be the same with Mars. With a typical 9 year old, you go to a park like this, set up a "home base" area with your cooler and blankets and towels, and the kids kind of wander around and play together. You can't do that with Mars, he doesn't seem to recognize a "home base" type of situation and he wanders around with out direction.