Found Deceased NC - Maddox Ritch, 6 w/Autism, Gastonia, 22 Sept 2018 #2

[HayLouise]

An emotional prayer vigil underway in Gastonia for #MaddoxRitch.


Many in tears. @WCCBCharlotte

Alexandra Elich on Twitter

*video at link

 

[HayLouise]

Vigil underway right now to remember 6-year-old #MaddoxRitch who searchers believe they found dead in a creek this afternoon

Jonathan Lowe on Twitter

*video at link

 

[HayLouise]

Members of the community meeting to pray for Maddox Ritch. RIP baby. @wcnc



Savannah Levins on Twitter

 

[HayLouise]

People are gathering at a parking lot on Rankin Lake Rd. for a vigil for #MaddoxRitch.


Several had these shirts made today. @WBTV_News



Amanda Foster WBTV on Twitter

 

[HayLouise]

Police opened up Old Dallas Rd., giving us a closer look at the area where they found the body of Maddox Ritch. You can see how grown up it is around Long Creek. @MorganFogarty @WCCBCharlotte



Marvin Beach on Twitter

 

[Savmom]

Here's a full transcript of Ian's post:

"First i want to say thank u from the bottom of my heart to everyone who took part in searching for my sweet lilbuddy. I truly appreciate everything everyone did to find him. And to everyone in the community that were hoping and praying and just took one second of their time to think about Maddox i thank yall too. I loved that lil boy he was my best lil buddy. Maddox was my only child and he will be the only one i will ever have. I wasntso worried about him when all this started on sat because i expected to find him right off over time i got more and more scared and worried. Once sundaymorning came thats when it startes me thinking i had something to worry about. Now today i found out im not a dad anymore. I had big plans with my son. I wanted us to go fishing play ball go camping. I wanted to be his heroe. I wanted him to say i was more than supermanor batman to him. Iwanted people to ask him who his heroe is and him say my daddy. Now im no heroe i couldnt save him or protect him at all. I would give anything to go back and save him. While a lot of people dont believe anything i have said in the past believe this. From this moment on for the rest of my life i will live with the guilt of not being there to save my son. The most important person in my life. So when everyone else gets to go back to their normal lives remember that i will never be the same man again. I will now and forever be a broken man until i take my last breath. Ivenever been a very spritual man before but. Ow i want to be just so when i die my lil boy will be the first person i see when i get into heaven. I cant waitto see his lilsmiling face again. Please all i want is some time to try to pull myself back together the best i can. So this will be my last response i will give to anyone. Just please hug ur children tighter and please dont make my mistake and let them get too far away from u. Do everything u can with ur children because i wont get the chance to do anything with mine. Now to Maddox i just want to say i love u lil buddy. Please be waiting for me when my time comes because i promise im gonna do everything i can to be with u rooster!!!!!"

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.wcnc.com/amp/article?section=news&subsection=local&headline=father-of-maddox-ritch-makes-emotional-post-on-facebook&contentId=275-598981248

Ugh. Well my thoughts toward dad have shifted after reading that.

IMO I think all dad was "guilty" of was not being as observant as he could have been........he was simply letting his son enjoy being a little boy like anyone of us with kids would do in a place that by all appearances seems safe for a family outing!

I am guessing but its safe to say dad probably never entertained a single thought that in a busy public place he was in danger of losing his little buddy, the one who would hopefully call him hero one day, forever
.
.
.
.
.
until it was too late.

I am fervently hoping & praying Maddox's last minutes/hours on earth were spent running free, filled with extreme wonder & excitement over all the beautuful sights, smells, and sounds of nature; his view filled with wonderful sights such as birds, butterflies, grasshoppers; watching the breeze bend the grass & trees; maybe even running after fluffy clouds he could never catch.

But dear Lord please do not let his last moments be consumed with terror or pain at the hands of a predator

Fly high & free Maddox!


Edited to add OT that I am so blown away by the differences in responses between dads for Maddox & Bella/Celeste. The cases are completely different but the end result (losing a child) is similar. However only one dad seems to be experiencing anguish over the loss. Maybe its just me

 

[Amonet]

<modsnipped quoted post>

I found the straight-out "No" to be clean. There were no ifs and buts about it to indicate squirming. As has been said, compare that "No" to the rambling CW did when asked about people wondering if he'd done something to the family.

I would think that if he said everyone he knows loves Maddox it might indicate he's scared Maddox was abducted. I would think he just knows how he feels about his son and doesn't feel the need to assure everyone else about it?

 

[Amonet]

I haven't seen that interview but I don't see anything sinister in this. The way I see it, it goes without saying that Maddox was there and it's the other adult that needs to be mentioned. However if it was me being interviewed, I might well tack on a comment about Maddox being there if the interviewer looked confused or as though he or she did not take it as read that the child was present.

Agreed. I would think to the dad it's obvious Maddox was there so he doesn't need to point it out. The interviewer seemed to be purely focused on digging for info on the other adult.

 

[bomigabster]

Holy smoke that is such a bad*** reporter! I love his expressions and phrasing of questions is so thorough. idk what I think of Dad. Idk my questions now are why does his “gf” want to stay anonymous and where are all of these people at the boat rental spot!!?? I thought this happened in the way back, secluded? I’m sorry if my version is old news. I’ll catch up.

I could see why the gf might want to try to remain anonymous. Some people on SM have been relentlessly crucifying the parents (mum included) since little Maddox was first reported missing. She could very well be afraid. Even assuming this is simply a tragic accident, if they've only been seeing each other a couple of months and/or it isn't a very serious relationship yet, I wouldn't be surprised if she wanted to get as far away from the spotlight as possible.

I too thought the reporter did an excellent job. He asked some difficult questions while doing his best to remain respectful.

 

[Julindy]

Check out this video. Its Arial view of the lake and park. The lake is friggin huge!
My heart is in my mouth watching that video,I'm thinking of that little boy wandering around there,and he was probably in awe of how beautiful it was,and just wanted to play and explore like children love to do:heartbroken:

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[MelmothTheLost]

I could see why the gf might want to try to remain anonymous. Some people on SM have been relentlessly crucifying the parents (mum included) since little Maddox was first reported missing. She could very well be afraid.

Agreed. As long as she has spoken to and co-operated with the police and they are satisfied by her answers there is no need for us to know who she is.

 

[Julindy]

Are there any nearby drainage pipes that dump into the creek? I wonder, could he have been hiding in a drainage pipe and got caught in a surge and drowned or something, and then his body was dislodged and carried out during the heavy storm last night...

 

[Julindy]

Sounds plausible Leigh

Are you familiar with the Zara Baker case in Hickory NC? I lived 5 blocks from the house they lived at the time of her murder. Everyone in Hickory knew her mother was lying 100%.
Still, people just couldn't believe the parents would or could do such a horrible thing. I remember going past that house and watching LE hauling evidence out if that place. Sicken me but also reminds me of the similarities of this case. The truth will come out sooner or later.

 

[Julindy]

I thought of Zarah, when I first read about this little boy missing,I'm heartbroken all over again, my only comfort with this little boy was he was found quickly, hope he's with Zarah now and all the other children gone way to soon.xx

 

[Julindy]

I'm going to wait for the results of the autopsy and see what unfolds from there.

Me too,I don't want to think of anything or anyone until then,as it be bad enough when the truth does come out. X

 

[Julindy]

I've just watched the first half of it. There was nothing there that was a red flag to me. Maybe I'm not seeing something that's obvious to Americans but he looks like a very ordinary working class man to me, a guy who has never been interviewed publicly on camera or under such pressure until these events. Add that to the information that the guy is diabetic and may be on the spectrum himself to some degree - he seemed pretty straight to me.

I think there's a very dangerous tendancy to monster a person because they don't react they way you think they should, or rather the way society demands they should. If he's on the spectrum he may not be able to react the way you, the interviewer or the viewer expects him to.

 

[Julindy]

I would say the same about the Dads interview, im from UK so I'm just reading through the forum.

 

[SeekingJana]

I hope that in time, God grants rest and refreshing to the people who are at the vigil so late at night. Emotional exhaustion and grief really wear people down.. There are tough days ahead and I hope they find a way to sleep and be comforted in their periods of rest.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

"We've had some answers to the questions we've been asking for a long time,” Kaplan said. “There are so many unsettled answered.”

"Retrace all the steps,” Kaplan said. “Retrace that creek bed, and look, so we can find maybe where he entered down there at the water.

"What was the cause of death? Was there any crime that was committed or are we simply looking at an accident?” Kaplan said. “Those are very difficult questions to answer, but those are questions we will answer."
MADDOX RITCH BODY FOUND: 'The investigation is not over': Officials to determine cause of 6-year-old's death

 

[HayLouise]

This morning Rankin Lake Park in Gaston Co. is still closed to the public & a memorial has been set up in memory of 6-yr-old Maddox Ritch @WBTV_News #MaddoxRitch



Caroline Hicks WBTV on Twitter