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

[Steelslady]

I think it was his mom who stated that.... dad said he was non-verbal to those looking for Maddox. The first news reports to come out the day he went missing all said Maddox was non-verbal.
I believed this until I'd read that Carrie said otherwise.
Just a long list of unanswered questions.

I seem to recall that this is what was said as well- perhaps the reporter misunderstood the father's comment and took it that Maddox was non-verbal all of the time? Sometimes facts get reported inaccurately by reporters- they're too busy trying to be the first reporter to get the scoop.

 

[insearchoflight]

The witnesses that were allegedly spoken to have not come forward. There was no account that anyone was frantically running around speaking to anyone. The eye witness park employee did not feel quite right about the behavior. I’m not saying anything but based off the post I was responding too saying they could see how an hour went by because of those things, we have not heard that those things were happening.

Here is one witness:
Woman remembers day she saw Maddox Ritch at park

 

[LietKynes]

I seem to recall that this is what was said as well- perhaps the reporter misunderstood the father's comment and took it that Maddox was non-verbal all of the time? Sometimes facts get reported inaccurately by reporters- they're too busy trying to be the first reporter to get the scoop.

Yes. Changed my post as I wasn't sure myself.

 

[Lillymac]

Has it been reported how far off the path Maddox was found? How far thru the wooded area was the creek from the path? TIA

 

[njbchgal]

Seeing that one map I was like wow....he got that far on his own? No one around seeing a 6 year old by himself, I notice right away when I am out and about and I don't see a parent right next to a child(because honestly as a mom it seriously pisses me off people do that) ...I am sorry I would keep an eye on Maddox to see where the parent is? So strange that one person tried to talk to him and he took off, I would be looking around for a parent to catch up. Just my opinion, but my instincts are always on.

 

[Rosemadder15]

Edit - I tried to quote the response prior to mine. I don't have the hang of this yet.

In, my opinion, one would think most instincts would be to do as you described. Mine are. I stopped my car in the middle of the side street today as a very young child was running down the sidewalk. I stopped and made sure an adult was close behind. I felt like a creeper, but knew I couldn't forgive myself if this child was "loose" and no one knew. All was fine.

When my youngest was two she escaped the house through 2 locks. Within a few minutes I found her two houses down and across the street. She was playing basketball with the neighbor's son. She was ever so happy. Less than 4-5 minutes had passed for me to search the house quickly, check out the back fenced yard and head out the front. I was frantic! What was almost as upsetting as her escape, was the fact that the neighbor boy's parents were completely fine with her being there. They didn't even question it! WHY NOT? I had never allowed her to travel alone out the front. They just let her join right in. I am so lucky they were kind people. If people at the park just assumed it was okay with his guardians that he ran ahead, maybe some or most never thought another thing about it. Again, in my opinion, most of us question when a young child is alone, but some just don't.

 

[WillenFan21]

Well this latest news from the presser makes me feel better. Maybe it was an accident after all. So sad.

 

[heartgoesout]

Opinions seem to vary greatly on this thread.

Here is one witness:
Woman remembers day she saw Maddox Ritch at park

That is not a witness that dad says he spoke to.

Bench guy, jogger and three people blocking his view are the people dad said he spoke to/interacted with that have not come forward that LE is begging to come forward.

My original post was based off someone saying they could see how an hour could go by fast to not call 911 because of searching, running around, talking to people, people are helping you...a chaotic situation.

I'm simply pointing out that based off all that has been reported, and there's been a lot, in my opinion this is not what was happening.

We've not heard from any account that there was a chaotic searching, we've heard from a key witness the exact opposite. We have not heard from any witness that he says he talked to. We have not heard from anyone, other than the park employee, that they helped search.
I don't know what it all means. I don't want to come across as anti dad, I'm paying attention to the facts as we know them.

 

[insearchoflight]

Opinions seem to vary greatly on this thread.


That is not a witness that dad says he spoke to.

Bench guy, jogger and three people blocking his view are the people dad said he spoke to/interacted with that have not come forward that LE is begging to come forward.

My original post was based off someone saying they could see how an hour could go by fast because of searching, running around, talking to people, people are helping you...a chaotic situation.

I'm simply pointing out that based off all that has been reported, and there's been a lot, in my opinion this is not what was happening.

We've not heard from any account that there was a chaotic searching, we've heard from a key witness the exact opposite. We have not heard from any witness that he says he talked to. We have not heard from anyone, other than the park employee, that they helped search.
I don't know what it all means. I don't want to come across as anti dad, I'm paying attention to the facts as we know them.

Ok I see your point. Could be they have come forward to LE just not publicly after they asked. Also could be they don’t realize it’s them, or are afraid to come forward as many times people who come forward as a witness are torn apart and accused by the public. Many, many recent instances of this where entire families were afraid to leave their house after coming forward as a witness. Just possible reasons why they haven’t come forward (or have just not publicly). I personally would come forward but not publicly. Of course there is also the possibility that these people are non existent which is what I believe you are alluding to. Time will tell.

 

[Charlot123]

Our older son is a teen, very high functioning, and has autism. I lost him at the circus (years ago) even though he and I were holding hands very very tightly. Somebody walked between us and this broke our hold and I looked for our son for approx 15 minutes. Trying not to panic. I really request that those criticizing, stop. I thought I was being so careful, and have always questionned myself. Fortunately, we found our son and we continue on having learned from this.

I totally understand how it may happen. My son is not autistic, and yet when he was 4 years old and came to the East Coast for the first time, he got so overwhelmed that he slipped off the sidewalk and fell on the road - I was holding him by the hand as he did it! I jerked him up by the arm and put back on the sidewalk before anything could happen, and since that day on, I was always walking next to the edge of the sidewalk. But who can predict such situations? Kids are active.

 

[heartgoesout]

I’m don’t know what to think about what happened to this precious little boy, but I don’t think the story being told is what happened that day.

 

[Steelslady]

I’m don’t know what to think about what happened to this precious little boy, but I don’t think the story being told is what happened that day.

Well, LE did mention that so far, what the family has said about the events that day and the area where the Dad last saw Maddox appears to be checking out. Which is why I am confused along with other things Le and the FBI have been saying and asking the last few days. I hope the COD is released soon. If it was simply an accidental drowning, for the family's sake, it would be nice if they would just state this so that they can grieve in peace.

I think we all want to believe that this was just a God awful accident, every parents nightmare that has lost a child- the heart pounding fear of them being with you moments ago and then quietly they vanish without much clue where they took off to. The running around in circles, trying to decide which direction to go in, asking people if they saw your child, and hoping they get involved and help in your search. For many of us- the relief comes, often times with the child playing happily in the water, or as someone mentioned above upthread, playing basketball, not a care in the world. For the unfortunate parents- the nightmare lasts a life time. So, indeed, we all want this to be an unfortunate accident, for Maddox, his family and little friends.

 

[Lillymac]

I am confused as to what the general feeling here is. Do people feel the father was involved in Maddox's death? Or that his death was not accidental? Or there is a perp out there somewhere?

I'm thinking as Maddox was running on the path he took a turn away from the lake. Going thru the brush and thicket he didn't realize he was in a swampy area soon enough to get out of it and got tangled up and subsequently drowned. That makes some sense to me. But...why are they still looking for witnesses?

 

[Alethea]

My worry is that someone snatched him. If LE is looking to identify a certain (unnamed) suspect, they may need to find people who can put that suspect at the park at that time.

I still get the feeling this would have been resolved quickly if they could determine it was an accidental drowning. I don't think the FBI are really in the business of spending resources to determine if a parent's corroborated story is negligence or a tragic accident. I think reasonable people can disagree on the appropriate level of parental watchfulness but I still don't think that's a federal criminal matter.

 

[Alethea]

I agree with other posters that the FBI posting about not talking about social media rumors is odd. Here's my take: what if they think they have a predator at work here and they need as much information as possible about this person for a sketch and to try to catch him. If people are constantly posting about the family, people may not come forward to talk to LE about the (hypothetical) sketchy guy watching children at the entrance to the parking lot. Or the (hypothetical) jogger who tried to talk to a little girl earlier in the morning.

One theory is that LE believes the social media attacks on the family are taking away from or diverting attention from the fact that an unknown kidnapper may have been at the park that day. It may cause people to downplay other things they saw that rubbed them the wrong way if they think LE has solved the case and it's a family matter.

JMO. I'm still hoping it's an accidental drowning.

 

[Charlot123]

Honestly, I think that the father was distracted by the girlfriend and did not notice the kid's disappearance immediately. It was not malicious at all, merely his subconscious priorities were different.

And I also think that the kid, having run away, felt lost and panicked. Not everyone has an "internal compass" in the head. Once the kid felt lost, he panicked and ran faster. One could only imagine how sensory overwhelmed he was, with all these people around him, noises, open space of the park.

I think we can understand initial distraction of the father and then, panic, but the kid panicked sooner and ran faster, but sadly, away from the dad.

It is very sad. I know a person whose kid drowned. There was no fault of the parents, and yet it totally changed the dynamic of the family. It broke them.

So sadly, the dad may not respond fast, but he will live with this guilt from now on. There is absolutely no need for us, the outsiders, to blame him.

 

[heartgoesout]

I've seen a few people write "delete" as a post
Is there no longer an option to delete a post I started? I can't find it. Is that why I am seeing posts only say "delete"? I've done this a few times and don't know how to delete.

 

[CrownCowboy]

Take this for what it's worth.

I saw my friend today on the ballfield who is a Sheriff's Deputy and I asked him what he and other LE think happened and he said that considering where he was found that they believe that there is more to this story than just an accident. I don't know if he means that all LE believe that and to be fair, he is not apart of the investigation. He did take part in the search and is friends with some that are close to what is going on.

I asked him why he believes that. He said Maddox was found on the other side of the bridge in the creek off Old Dallas Rd. I was under the impression that he was found on the west side of the bridge on the side closest to the park. That is not so according to him. Also, I asked him if it was possible that he fell in upstream and drifted down to where he was found. He told me that there is a dam in the creek just before the bridge and that that was impossible.

He said that there is a pathway up to the 321 bridge, then dirt bike trails for alittle bit and then very thick, marshy brush along where he was found for a good ways. It was hard for him to envision him walking through that.

Of course this all could be an accident. The concerns that I had about the terrain and other things are the exact things he said bothers him regarding this and apparently others.

 

[IceIce9]

I've seen a few people write "delete" as a post
Is there no longer an option to delete a post I started? I can't find it. Is that why I am seeing posts only say "delete"? I've done this a few times and don't know how to delete.

I have not been able to figure out how to delete either.

 

[Alethea]

I have not been able to figure out how to delete either.

If you have already posted something, you cannot delete it. You can only edit it within 60 minutes of posting. So many people write "Delete" if they double post or changed their mind. You can "report" on your own post and ask a mod to delete it if the time has passed and you have a reason to want to delete it but it takes mod time so I try to be judicious!