GUILTY MO - Hailey Owens, 10, Springfield, 18 Feb 2014 #2

[Leilei]

@ thepinkdragon - I can relate to your point above. Years ago after a nonstop series of life events no one was more surprised than I when I was diagnosed with major clinical depression. The only way to describe it would be to say it was as though a complete stranger had moved into my head in the space of a month. It was as though I'd been given strange drugs which were keeping me awake all night, making me repulsed by food, etc. (In fact, it was startlingly like what I read today about the side effects of meth, to be honest--hypervigilance, hyperactivity, poor memory and judgment.) It was a totally weird experience lasting about 2 years, and I hope to never go through anything approaching that again.

At the time I was diagnosed, I strongly resisted taking prescription medication, trying to go the 'natural' route with well-known herbal remedies. The therapist I'd reluctantly started seeing tried to convince me for 3 months to try medication, because clinical depression is caused by stress-induced brain chemistry changes, a neurotransmitter imbalance that could only be rebalanced with the appropriate SSRI combination. I can remember bringing in to her office dramatic newspaper articles of people who'd wigged out on Prozac, telling her I was afraid I might wake up and kill my kids if I tried a prescription drug. Truthfully, though, my reasoning was getting so compromised I was in no place to think clearly on the subject, so after a couple months of fearful resistance, I finally agreed to a trial period for one of the SSRIs (not Prozac ). It took a couple tries with different SSRIs, but once I found the right one, the change was dramatic, and I was on the way back up out of that black hole.

The brain and its function is an amazing, perplexing thing. Yes, there are some prescription drug side effects that can end up being harmful to some people out there, but there are also many prescription drugs that are lifesavers to broad classes of people who need them. I've learned through my experience not to make blanket generalizations about prescription drugs and their possible side-effects for people; each situation for each person should be weighed on its own merit. While not depressed today, I have friends with bipolar relatives whose brain-chemistry prescriptions are just as biologically vital to them as my thyroid prescriptions are to me. Just thankful for the science that's gone from 'tranquilizing' all mental illnesses a generation or two ago to 're-balancing' brain chemistry problems today.

Thank you, and big hugs from someone else who is living with mental illness. You have explained things much better than I could. I bolded what I consider a very important point. A good doctor will not just throw a med at you and send you on your way. They will have you return frequently (once a week in my case), monitoring your side effects and possibly switching to or adding something else. Last year, it took six months before my doctor and I found the correct "mix". So grateful for the newer options in meds for mental health. They saved my life.

As far as this guy goes, in my opinion, we haven't heard enough about him to even begin to guess at any mental health issues he has. :moo:

 

[SStarr33]

I have many teachers in my family and other than when they started, no.

Wow. That really needs to change. I wonder if it is a state by state basis.

 

[hockeymom4]

BBM: It's interesting that media keeps saying that, but if an Amber Alert had come out within 10 or 15 minutes, someone might have seen his truck heading home, and called LE. (Or followed him home and yelled for the guy to let the girl go). To say that it wouldn't have mattered because the alert took 2 hours is like saying that because something you cooked for 2 hours is burnt, if wouldn't have mattered to take it out of the oven earlier. Unless they can tell me she was dead within five minutes of his arriving at his house with her, it is still possible an earlier alert had the possibility of helping. It is my opinion that while LE did what they should have done according to the "proper procedure", the proper procedure is still lacking. But I also admit I have seen the "proper procedure" screw up way too many things. ( As in watching houses burn because local fire procedure would not allow nearby military helicopters that were ready and able to dump water on the fire. The only reason was paperwork.) JMO.

Sadly, they take time. I do agree that they somehow need a better way to make them happen faster, but LE has no control over how quick the AA goes out. It took, I believe, around 6 mins for LE to get to the house. Then interview the mom, get the information. Don't forget the minute or two on the phone with 911. Then they create the info and send it off to be created. There is no way in 10 to 15 minutes it could go out. Behind the scenes they have to process things to be sure the correct information goes out. Sending the wrong information out could be just as bad. I do have issues with it taking over two hours.

Perfect example, today, there was an Amber Alert in the town I reside in. The child went missing at 12:20. I saw the car at 12:45, but had no idea there was an AA because it wasn't issued until 1:40. All MSM and phones were notified after 2pm. I was at my parents house and I noticed the car because it stopped in our alley before driving off. I was sick to my stomach. I called the police and notified them and spoke to an officer who I knew. They later found the kid, safe and the car. I know many of the officers in this Dept and heard the sirens as they were getting close to the car. They were remarkable. I wish there is a way to know right away and in this case, where it was the mothers car, there should have been zero questions when the car and plate can be unknown or two different plates are given, I get it taking longer.

Maybe we can do something to find out the whys and try to get this changed.

 

[Foxfire]

From what I understand, the FBI volunteered right away to help find the missing girl. The Chief said in his first press conference yesterday that they volunteered. This is very common for them to assist in helping find missing teens. The Chief said they had close to or over 100 people helping look for her.

Today, the missing boy in IL also had people other than the PRPD assisting. When children go missing and Amber Alerts are issued, people from agencies everywhere jump in.

hockeymom4, yes the FBI has rapid response CARD Teams, but many times (75% of children abducted by predators are deceased before they arrive(3 hours). This is why it is imperative for local LEAs have a pre-abduction plan in place..

http://www2.fbi.gov/card/
www2.fbi.gov/card


It is the mission of the FBI's Crimes Against Children Unit to provide a quick and effective response to all incidents of crimes against children. The first few hours after a child is abducted are critical, and that is why we have established the Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) Teams.

The CARD Teams are designed to deploy teams of 4–6 experienced personnel to provide on-the-ground investigative, technical, and resource assistance to state and local law enforcement. The CARD Teams consist of Crimes Against Children investigators who have in-depth experience in child abduction cases.

 

[PoirotryInMotion]

Forgive me for just jumping in here without a proper introduction, but I've been waiting all day for approval to bring this up as I see it's not been broached here yet. Last night on KSDK (local news channel) there was a segment played with a woman who lives in Hailey's neighborhood. She said that her children had an "incident" with Craig Wood three weeks ago. He had been seen trolling the area and in some manner (I can't remember how) totally freaked her children out. I will do a search online and try to find the clip of her interview.

RIP Hailey :heartbeat:

But it wasn't "just this one time". It was every day, she walked that route to meet her best friend she goes on to say.

That poor woman. In my opinion, this is a textbook example of why you can't judge if someone is grieving by looking at them and listening to them. She comes off giggly - obviously a self-defense mechanism to shield herself from the horror of what she's feeling.

I'm sad they even aired that.

My heart goes out to this sweet mom, and I'm wondering if perhaps it gave her some sense of control in this chaotic week for her to go to media on her own initiative, rather than repeatedly fend them off at home. Hearing her say in the video that Hailey and her friend had a 'regular' meet-up halfway between their homes each day put a first little crack in my theory that this was a one time pass-through, a random crime of opportunity. Mom also mentioned that the kids were 'all the time' playing outside together in that neighborhood. If the other neighbor's report concerning Woods turns out to have substance, that could possibly lend more weight to the idea that he'd frequented the neighborhood, and that his abduction of Hailey might have been less random than I thought.

 

[ozazure]

You don't hear about it so much anymore, the mid-life crisis, but I wonder if this is his first time that it is probably a more likely time in your mid 40's than say, your thirties, to suddenly do something like this if you haven't already as a teen or young adult.

I dunno, I don't find it particularly strange he had the materials ready to go and a plan if this was his first time. He made a massive error in judgement stealing her in front of so many witnesses, even with a borrowed car, as if that wasn't a short bow to draw. Seems to me the actions of somehow who has lost some mental faculties fairly suddenly if he has not been committing crimes in the past. People can make uneven attempts to getting away with things, it is a childlike error, in that the part of the brain that assesses risk is not working like it should.

I am in no way looking to excuse him but I recall the This American Life episode where Huntingtons' brain damage resulted in a brutal murder (http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/492/dr-gilmer-and-mr-hyde). Issues like accumaltive brain damage from alcohol and drug abuse, brain tumours, mental illness could all explain why he perhaps could keep such an impulse under control then couldn't, or could develop it.

Basically - I am just hoping that poor Hailey was an aberration in his life and no one else has suffered and no one else will because he has been apprehended so quickly.

Also I know it is a very popular name but ****, so many lost Haileys.

 

[hockeymom4]

Wow. That really needs to change. I wonder if it is a state by state basis.

I disagree. Your state does? I don't feel that teachers should be randomly drug tested.

 

[hockeymom4]

hockeymom4, yes the FBI has rapid response CARD Teams, but many times (75% of children abducted by predators are deceased before they arrive(3 hours). This is why it is imperative for local LEAs have a pre-abduction plan in place..

http://www2.fbi.gov/card/
www2.fbi.gov/card


It is the mission of the FBI's Crimes Against Children Unit to provide a quick and effective response to all incidents of crimes against children. The first few hours after a child is abducted are critical, and that is why we have established the Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) Teams.

The CARD Teams are designed to deploy teams of 4–6 experienced personnel to provide on-the-ground investigative, technical, and resource assistance to state and local law enforcement. The CARD Teams consist of Crimes Against Children investigators who have in-depth experience in child abduction cases.

I was just answering someone's question as to why the FBI was involved. They thought it was because they found something on his computer. I am very informed on the duties of both the FBI and LE, as I have many family and friends involved in both.

 

[LarkBunting]

I posted in the last thread that a close friend of mine in Springfield, MO, is herself close friends with one of Hailey's neighbors. This neighbor reports that Hailey walked alone often. Hailey's mother confirmed this in her interview, saying that Hailey's walk (alone) to meet her friend was a daily occurrence.

This makes me wonder if the perp drove that route often - for work, to get home, to visit someone, go to a certain store, etc., & had seen Hailey walking alone before. Perhaps she struck his sick demented fancy & he came back for her on Tuesday, having previously noted her routine. I wonder if this is something we will ever know.

I wonder if it even matters, if he'd been watching her, or if it was a random happen-upon type of abduction. She's still dead.

Today, there was an Amber Alert in IL for a 5yo boy kidnapped during a carjacking. He was kidnapped at 12:20pm & the AA went out at 1:41pm. One hour & 21 minutes after the abduction... Thankfully, he was found safe. It seems he had a better chance than poor Hailey, as it appears he wasn't targeted by a pedophile, but that the car was targeted by a thief who was unaware there was a child sleeping in the backseat. Still, do you know how far a perp could drive in an hour & 21 minutes?? He could have been long gone.

There's got to be a better way to protect our children.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[PoirotryInMotion]

Imo, awareness & communication is the key in abduction & missing persons cases..
PoirotryInMotion, why do folks keep saying this; 'in this particular case, the AA probably had little relevance to the outcome'? There is no excuse for an AA to take 2 1/4 hours to initiate.

All LEAs should have a pre-abduction plan in place that is initiated by a code word; such as a code Adam. Many of the vehicles running around town are govt vehicles with radios. All these agencies could be alerted to the VOI description in an abduction, as well as private citizens, taxi cabs, bus drivers, FD, DNR, utilities, etc.

Foxfire, I can't speak for other people, but the reason I believe the slow AA response had little to do with outcome in this situation is because it's mostly useful when the getaway car/license plate and perp is still on the road or out in public where people might see him. Unfortunately, if you click on the map link in that post I supplied, you'll see that even if LE had bypassed protocol and issued the Amber Alert from the curb at W. Lombard Ave, at that point the perp was already home (a 12-13 minute drive in normal driving conditions). His car was likely parked toward the end of the driveway at the back of the house, so no help there unless his neighbors happened to go out to look at his license plate for some reason (if they were even home from work).

If the guy had washed multiple loads of laundry at the Laundromat, AND had one in the dryer, I'm guessing he was there at least an hour (say 7:15-8:15 ish). From the scene in the basement it's obvious that prior to that he bleached the basement floor, cleaned up a crime scene, and hid his victim--minimum another 30-45 minutes. Prior to that was the attack and gunshot to the head, most likely. So I'm guessing she was dead before the AA even went out at 7 PM, maybe even as early as 6:00 or 6:30--but had AA gone out any time between 5 and 7 PM, would it have found a car parked in the back of someone's yard as dusk fell? I'm doubtful of that.

 

[PoirotryInMotion]

I posted in the last thread that a close friend of mine in Springfield, MO, is herself close friends with one of Hailey's neighbors. This neighbor reports that Hailey walked alone often. Hailey's mother confirmed this in her interview, saying that Hailey's walk (alone) to meet her friend was a daily occurrence.

This makes me wonder if the perp drove that route often - for work, to get home, to visit someone, go to a certain store, etc., & had seen Hailey walking alone before. Perhaps she struck his sick demented fancy & he came back for her on Tuesday, having previously noted her routine. I wonder if this is something we will ever know.

I wonder if it even matters, if he'd been watching her, or if it was a random happen-upon type of abduction. She's still dead.

Today, there was an Amber Alert in IL for a 5yo boy kidnapped during a carjacking. He was kidnapped at 12:20pm & the AA went out at 1:41pm. One hour & 21 minutes after the abduction... Thankfully, he was found safe. It seems he had a better chance than poor Hailey, as it appears he wasn't targeted by a pedophile, but that the car was targeted by a thief who was unaware there was a child sleeping in the backseat. Still, do you know how far a perp could drive in an hour & 21 minutes?? He could have been long gone.

There's got to be a better way to protect our children.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Call me nuts, but if I had to raise my kids again, I'd be really interested in any technology out there that could (not too invasively of course) somehow put GPS chips in our children. Maybe stick it in a tooth filling or something, lol.

 

[iamnotagolem]

My heart goes out to this sweet mom, and I'm wondering if perhaps it gave her some sense of control in this chaotic week for her to go to media on her own initiative, rather than repeatedly fend them off at home. Hearing her say in the video that Hailey and her friend had a 'regular' meet-up halfway between their homes each day put a first little crack in my theory that this was a one time pass-through, a random crime of opportunity. Mom also mentioned that the kids were 'all the time' playing outside together in that neighborhood. If the other neighbor's report concerning Woods turns out to have substance, that could possibly lend more weight to the idea that he'd frequented the neighborhood, and that his abduction of Hailey might have been less random than I thought.

I wondered that after watching mom's interview, too. It doesn't change the fact that Hailey is dead, but maybe it can be used as a learning tool for other parents.

http://www.kwch.com/news/local-news/child-abduction-prevention/24563056

I just watched the videos here, it gives some options parents can teach their children to avoid being abducted.

I've also wondered if CW not only knew that Hailey walked there every day by herself, but also that she was frequently on her cell phone. Maybe that allowed him to drive by once, turn around and pull right up to where she was walking without her noticing.

 

[iamnotagolem]

Foxfire, I can't speak for other people, but the reason I believe the slow AA response had little to do with outcome in this situation is because it's mostly useful when the getaway car/license plate and perp is still on the road or out in public where people might see him. Unfortunately, if you click on the map link in that post I supplied, you'll see that even if LE had bypassed protocol and issued the Amber Alert from the curb at W. Lombard Ave, at that point the perp was already home (a 12-13 minute drive in normal driving conditions). His car was likely parked toward the end of the driveway at the back of the house, so no help there unless his neighbors happened to go out to look at his license plate for some reason (if they were even home from work).

If the guy had washed multiple loads of laundry at the Laundromat, AND had one in the dryer, I'm guessing he was there at least an hour (say 7:15-8:15 ish). From the scene in the basement it's obvious that prior to that he bleached the basement floor, cleaned up a crime scene, and hid his victim--minimum another 30-45 minutes. Prior to that was the attack and gunshot to the head, most likely. So I'm guessing she was dead before the AA even went out at 7 PM, maybe even as early as 6:00 or 6:30--but had AA gone out any time between 5 and 7 PM, would it have found a car parked in the back of someone's yard as dusk fell? I'm doubtful of that.

But if the amber alert had been issued right away, his neighbors may have recognized the vehicle from him living here and checked his plate number. I mean if there was an amber alert in my area that described my next door neighbor, i'd run out and check his plates.

 

[Foxfire]

I was just answering someone's question as to why the FBI was involved. They thought it was because they found something on his computer. I am very informed on the duties of both the FBI and LE, as I have many family and friends involved in both.

RE: I am very informed on the duties of both the FBI and LE, as I have many family and friends involved in both.

hockeymom4, sorry I was just posting as an FYI.. What State does your LE family & friends serve in, if you don't mind sharing?

 

[PoirotryInMotion]

BBM: It's interesting that media keeps saying that, but if an Amber Alert had come out within 10 or 15 minutes, someone might have seen his truck heading home, and called LE. (Or followed him home and yelled for the guy to let the girl go). <snipped for space>

(See my post above to Foxfire...even if the AA had been issued curbside at 5 PM, he was already home by then. )

 

[PoirotryInMotion]

But if the amber alert had been issued right away, his neighbors may have recognized the vehicle from him living here and checked his plate number. I mean if there was an amber alert in my area that described my next door neighbor, i'd run out and check his plates.

True...and don't we wish that had been the scenario. I'm only explaining why the odds are way down, why the late alert in this case probably didn't have much impact. I still think they need to look into the system and change the timeframe--it could definitely have a far greater impact on future cases.

 

[Teche]

BBM.

How does any parent of a child murdered in such a manner "deal" with it?
I think mostly they just try to survive as best as they can.

Gitana1, good to see you on this forum!

 

[Foxfire]

FYI-

http://www.amberalert.gov/guidelines.htm

Every successful AMBER plan contains clearly defined activation criteria. The following guidance is designed to achieve a uniform, inter-operable network of plans across the country, and to minimize potentially deadly delays because of confusion among varying jurisdictions. The following are criteria recommendations:

Law Enforcement Confirms an Abduction

AMBER plans require law enforcement to confirm an abduction prior to issuing an alert. This is essential when determining the level of risk to the child. Clearly, stranger abductions are the most dangerous for children and thus are primary to the mission of an AMBER Alert. To allow activations in the absence of significant information that an abduction has occurred could lead to abuse of the system and ultimately weaken its effectiveness. At the same time, each case must be appraised on its own merits and a judgment call made quickly.

NCIC Data Entry

Immediately enter AMBER Alert data into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) system. Text information describing the circumstances surrounding the abduction of the child should be entered, and the case flagged as a Child Abduction. Many plans do not mandate entry of the data into NCIC, but this omission undermines the entire mission of the AMBER Alert initiative. The notation on the entry should be sufficient to explain the circumstances of the disappearance of the child. Entry of the alert data into NCIC expands the search for an abducted child from the local, state, or regional level to the national. This is a critical element of any effective AMBER Alert plan.

 

[hollye]

Many of us believe he's done this before, when I looked into missing persons I set the ages from 7-11.

But since then I've been thinking, she was reportedly 5'2", maybe he thought she was older. Maybe that's why he shot her? Maybe he typically goes for older girls.

Has anyone looked into unsolved cases for teens?

I put a bunch on my map. I can't link it on my iPad, but it's in my signature.


Hollye

 

[SStarr33]

I disagree. Your state does? I don't feel that teachers should be randomly drug tested.

When I asked the question, I had no idea if any state required it, but I just looked it up and some places do. I had the thought because someone mentioned the possibility of CW doing an illegal drug that could push him to do this heinous act.

I personally think it is ridiculous that they are not tested.