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

[onslow]

How many of you believe the father's version of events?

What are some of the alternate possibilities?

I am just coming to this case and sincerely want advise on how to view it.

What do you think happened?

 

[Lillymac]

We don't know the exact path Maddox took - even LE is trying to figure it out. Looking at the map there are open areas that I'm guessing he followed. But once you arrive to the area where he was found the growth is pretty dense. The map shows some open areas near the spot but even with the poor resolution it appears that he did walk through some rough areas. Videos posted help a little.
A closer look at where Maddox Ritch was found
MADDOX RITCH: Community comes together to find light in darkness after death of Maddox Ritch Bottom video
Google Maps
I can't find the other link but these should give you a good idea of the area.

ETA: For heartgoesout link to the lady's statement saying Maddox was running towards the park office:

Woman remembers day she saw Maddox Ritch at park

All this time when they were saying path, I didn't realize it wasn't a path like in the park. This just looks like a trail thru tall grass made by an atv. But obviously people live close to that creek and it can be accessed at different points.
I'm beginning to think, because he vanished so quickly, someone could have grabbed him up. Plus other things I've heard and read lead me to this conclusion. I pray I'm wrong and that it was just a horrible accident. This waiting is awful. . Thanks for the info.

 

[Lillymac]

I just can’t shake the feeling that someone grabbed him off the path he was running on and that’s why it took so long to find him. I believe the dad told the truth. Moo

I agree, and think so too. I in no way believe his dad had anything to do with it and I'd rather believe it was a terrible accident. But it's looking like something really bad happened at the hands of someone evil.

 

[heartgoesout]

snipped "It was on that walk, Brooke says, they ran into little Maddox. She says he came up behind them on the path around the lake, and her mom tried to talk to him.
Sheppard said he didn’t say anything back, and they kept an eye on him as he ran toward the park office."

Thanks Alethea, but where on the path did she see him?

 

[IceIce9]

snipped "It was on that walk, Brooke says, they ran into little Maddox. She says he came up behind them on the path around the lake, and her mom tried to talk to him.
Sheppard said he didn’t say anything back, and they kept an eye on him as he ran toward the park office."

Thanks Alethea, but where on the path did she see him?

And, if they “kept an eye on him” did he just disappear out of their sight as he ran toward the park office? Did he run past the office? Was Dad chasing him at this point?

Seems a little strange that they “kept an eye on him” and didn’t report that they saw a child alone, running, with no adult in sight, to a park employee.

 

[heartgoesout]

How many of you believe the father's version of events?

What are some of the alternate possibilities?

I am just coming to this case and sincerely want advise on how to view it.

What do you think happened?

It is my opinion that dads version of events leading up to the disappearance is not 100% truthful. After that I am not convinced either way if he was involved or not.

 

[Alethea]

snipped "It was on that walk, Brooke says, they ran into little Maddox. She says he came up behind them on the path around the lake, and her mom tried to talk to him.
Sheppard said he didn’t say anything back, and they kept an eye on him as he ran toward the park office."

Thanks Alethea, but where on the path did she see him?

I have not been posting about the witness, I think you mean @MsMarple.

 

[heartgoesout]

And, if they “kept an eye on him” did he just disappear out of their sight as he ran toward the park office? Did he run past the office? Was Dad chasing him at this point?

Seems a little strange that they “kept an eye on him” and didn’t report that they saw a child alone, running, with no adult in sight, to a park employee.

Exactly. You read my mind. That's why I need to know where she was when she believes she saw Maddox. And what time? It's an important piece.
You'd think she would have seen someone, anyone, frantically searching and calling out for the young child. After Maddox passed her wouldn't dad be not far behind? or the girlfriend if she went the other way as dad said. Wouldn't she have crossed paths with dad, GF, park employee, police? Unless she got in a car and immediately drove away after the encounter with him.
I'm really trying to understand and the more I try the further down the rabbit hole it seems to go.

 

[casesensitive]

How many of you believe the father's version of events?

What are some of the alternate possibilities?

I am just coming to this case and sincerely want advise on how to view it.

What do you think happened?

If you are "just coming into this case", I suggest you go back (way back) and watch the media videos/reports of the father and witnesses, and the mother, and the police statements... and then read all of the comments to get an idea of the posters' different opinions. My advise is educate yourself and decide yourself on what way "you" want to view it.

 

[Lillymac]

Exactly. You read my mind. That's why I need to know where she was when she believes she saw Maddox. And what time? It's an important piece.
You'd think she would have seen someone, anyone, frantically searching and calling out for the young child. After Maddox passed her wouldn't dad be not far behind? or the girlfriend if she went the other way as dad said. Wouldn't she have crossed paths with dad, GF, park employee, police? Unless she got in a car and immediately drove away after the encounter with him.
I'm really trying to understand and the more I try the further down the rabbit hole it seems to go.

I made this same observation a few days ago. I don't remember who it was, but they posted this was before he ran away. I thought it strange she said he was running toward the park station. But, from the map it appears he could have kept going beyond it. Timeline is very important and maybe there is one I haven't seen.

 

[Quinquin]

I've followed diffrent cases on websleuths for years but I have never posted. I have to say it's certainly one of the most respectful and compassionate forums that I've witnessed of this nature. My comment is a bit of a side note but I feel compelled to give my prospective regarding the comments concerning the father being on the spectrum.
I am high functioning as is my father, my daughter and my son. You can't tell by just seeing or listening to someone but there are what appears to be traits in Ian Ritch. I was actually discussing this with my husband a couple of days ago and told him I was glad to see so many people on this site that were willing to accept the dad may process differently regardless of the reason. In emergency or highly emotional situations, I rarely act in typical manner but I usually mask so well that most people never know why. Masking well is helpful in every day life but could really be detrimental in emergency situations in which you don't react as expected. I always over react or under react never in the middle. I feel like I would shut down and be nonverbal myself or completely freak out and lose it if anything ever happened to one of my children but I have no idea how I would actually react. As a person on the spectrum as well as parent of children on the spectrum that is another constant worry.

My son is high functioning on the autism spectrum also and I am impressed and elated that you have the insight that you have shared. I am my son's best and only friend (he's 20 and has never had one friend in his life) and I can only pray that he will be able to be as introspective and understanding as you are to the plight of what he and others affected by autism go through, not day to day, but minute by minute. For me to hear that you have a husband, children....well, that bring me to tears and gives me hope for my precious son.

 

[Beagle]

Can someone tell if autistic kids have a particular like or dislike to enter difficult bush environments, like many are drawn to water?

 

[scarlettbones]

Complete GMA Interview (14:31 minutes):
FULL INTERVIEW: Ian Ritch opens up in interview with Good Morning America

Thanks for the link! I just watched it, and am still catching up with the thread. I haven't formed a concrete opinion yet on if the dad had anything to do with his disappearance. I go back and forth; this is suspicious, nah it's not suspicious at all. Usually I make up my mind pretty quickly, but not with this one.

I will say, his choice of words is odd. In this interview, he keeps saying Maddox "is out there in the dark, alone", several times. He gave this interview about 6 days after Maddox went missing, so right before he was found? If he thought someone snatched his son wouldn't he be asking for that person to bring him back? But he seems set on the fact that M is "is out there in the dark, alone".

JMO, I don't want to tell anyone how to grieve or react in this situation.

 

[MsMarple]

snipped "It was on that walk, Brooke says, they ran into little Maddox. She says he came up behind them on the path around the lake, and her mom tried to talk to him.
Sheppard said he didn’t say anything back, and they kept an eye on him as he ran toward the park office."

Thanks Alethea, but where on the path did she see him?

Without an msm link or press release from LE we don't know the exact spot where she saw Maddox. But we can extrapolate to narrow down a small area using the information we have. The lady was at a church picnic so we suppose they had rented a shelter. She saw Maddox heading towards the office.

Here's a park map from Gardener1850 post #1008:
https://www.cityofgastonia.com/images/files/parks_recreation/documents/RankinLakeMap.pdf

Compare this to the Google map of the same area:
Google Maps

It's likely the lady was in or near one of the shelters. She didn't specify. Based on the maps and information it's highly likely that she saw Maddox somewhere near Shelter #10 or #11. That narrows it down to approximately 350 ft. I'm afraid that's the best we can zero in for now.

 

[Quinquin]

Can someone tell if autistic kids have a particular like or dislike to enter difficult bush environments, like many are drawn to water?

I don't know specifically about brush/bush environments but I do know that many autistic kids have a very high pain threshold. So thorns and bushes might not affect them as much. My son is rarely in pain and he does MixedMartialArts and gets hit and kicked and he has never, ever complained about pain from training. Btw, nor is he heat or cold sensitive either but Im not sure if that is across the board for those on the spectrum. Water...weird...when he was about 2, he and his dad and brother were fishing on a river bank. Dad and brother were sidetracked by something and looked away for a split second only to look back and see a diaper floating in the river. They got him within seconds thank god. But he had on a diaper that floated to the surface and so did the bottle he was holding....aaarrrgghh

 

[onslow]

If you are "just coming into this case", I suggest you go back (way back) and watch the media videos/reports of the father and witnesses, and the mother, and the police statements... and then read all of the comments to get an idea of the posters' different opinions. My advise is educate yourself and decide yourself on what way "you" want to view it.

"Thanks" so much!

 

[onslow]

It is my opinion that dads version of events leading up to the disappearance is not 100% truthful. After that I am not convinced either way if he was involved or not.

Thank you, hgo. That is distinctly the way I had started to look at the case. Good to know that I am not alone in feeling that way. Your help is appreciated.

 

[scarlettbones]

How many of you believe the father's version of events?

What are some of the alternate possibilities?

I am just coming to this case and sincerely want advise on how to view it.

What do you think happened?

There are over 2,000 posts in the two threads and it can be a lot to try and read, especially when new posts happen every hour. If I don't have time to read every page, I will read the first page, skip 10 pages and read that one, skip another 10, etc. If I need to back track I will. Eventually, I try and read every post, but it's not always possible.

I haven't read too many "alternate possibilities" on this thread. It seems that most people are trying to figure out the dad's story/witness stories and wait for LE to give more information. I think this is one of the few WS threads that isn't full of "fan fiction" as another poster has dubbed it, lol

Welcome to Web sleuths!

 

[Lillymac]

I don't know specifically about brush/bush environments but I do know that many autistic kids have a very high pain threshold. So thorns and bushes might not affect them as much. My son is rarely in pain and he does MixedMartialArts and gets hit and kicked and he has never, ever complained about pain from training. Btw, nor is he heat or cold sensitive either but Im not sure if that is across the board for those on the spectrum. Water...weird...when he was about 2, he and his dad and brother were fishing on a river bank. Dad and brother were sidetracked by something and looked away for a split second only to look back and see a diaper floating in the river. They got him within seconds thank god. But he had on a diaper that floated to the surface and so did the bottle he was holding....aaarrrgghh

Oh my how scary. I am so glad he got him out quickly. That is fascinating to me that a child that young would be drawn to the water like that. I'm sure studies have been done. I am going to research that. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Charlot123]

The one thing i cant understand is when maddox started getting to far ahead, the father said there were 3 people in front of him he had to pass by why didn't he yell for them or anyone to help stop him? I know strangers would have freaked him out or caused panic, but being around all that water and woods i would have been screaming help me catch my son please. I am not blaming dad at all i just wonder why he did not holler for help?

One version. From the interview dad's issues are pretty clear, but I also see that he loves Maddox. But what if he and his gf were just distracted, in the park, perhaps looked at one another and talked, or maybe hugged? Imagine - this is when the boy might have taken off, possibly to attract dad's attention (as it was their game), and the couple might have not noticed. And this is the only thing the dad might be unwilling to admit, that he was distracted for too long. Because when they realized that Maddox was not with them, they saw the scene exactly as dad now describes - the jogger, and several people before him. Only there was a timelapse, these people were probably far behind the couple when Maddox took off and did not see him at all. Or maybe he simply ran to the side. I think it is the easiest explanation of what could have happened.

Just my opinion, as I understand we are allowed to offer versions.