Found Deceased NC - Maddox Ritch, 6 w/Autism, Gastonia, 22 Sept 2018 #3

[BetteDavisEyes]

...I've had to REALLY avoid from posting after watching MSM video of the viewing, funeral etc....... Something stinks in Gastonia. The park reopened as well. I've visited that park so many times but I can never bring myself to do so again.

Are links to said videos available? Please share.

 

[DearPrudence]

I agree she did not know that or anything about Maddox, my point is that I would never leave a child that age alone. I also find a strange question to ask "hi buddy are you tired?" I would be asking him where his parent's were and with no answer, I would still remain with him and look out for the parent's. If he ran off again I would follow JMO

It is unusual for child to be out running around the park on their own.[

 

[yrmfp]

Note the blue shirt is dad, green shirt is not mom..... to avoid getting in trouble I won't say who she is but....
Loved ones say final goodbyes to Maddox Ritch

 

[rosesfromangels]

I have pictures of myself grinning like an idiot at a funeral. I was in shock, and it was a grief response.
We never know how we are going to react under such stressful conditions.

Prayers to all effected by this tragedy, including the responders.

 

[Charlot123]

Note the blue shirt is dad, green shirt is not mom..... to avoid getting in trouble I won't say who she is but....
Loved ones say final goodbyes to Maddox Ritch

I'd say, this is not neurotypical, but it is already obvious from dad's interview. With atypicality, one might expect unusual behaviors, but it does not mean these people are not grieving.

As to chewing gum - totally inappropriate, of course, but this is why some people hire a "social skills coach". Such coach is badly needed here, but these folks are too poor to afford him/her.

I hope there is more to the whole story than such behaviors, and that this is not the main reason the case is not yet closed. In places with better medical awareness, people are not surprised by such scenes, not at all.

Also - having read dad's post, clearly indicating learning disabilities, plus having watched his interview and now this scene, I highly doubt he'd be able to pull off a planned crime.

 

[heartgoesout]

I'd say, this is not neurotypical, but it is already obvious from dad's interview. With atypicality, one might expect unusual behaviors, but it does not mean these people are not grieving.

As to chewing gum - totally inappropriate, of course, but this is why some people hire a "social skills coach". Such coach is badly needed here, but these folks are too poor to afford him/her.

I hope there is more to the whole story than such behaviors, and that this is not the main reason the case is not yet closed. In places with better medical awareness, people are not surprised by such scenes, not at all.

Also - having read dad's post, clearly indicating learning disabilities, plus having watched his interview and now this scene, I highly doubt he'd be able to pull off a planned crime.

I'm curious where the bolded and underlined statements are coming from? Is this just your opinion or are these fact based statements?

 

[floridamomma]

Y'all, please msg me if anything big happens, I'm fixing to take my broken self, 3 kids and a fatty rottie and evacuate bc hubs is working and Michael is headed for us....

((sweet maddox how I wish you were safe))

 

[Hola]

As to chewing gum - totally inappropriate, of course, but this is why some people hire a "social skills coach".

The clip I saw they were just in a parking lot (not actually in at the service). Personally I am just giving them the benefit of the doubt that they were just trying to freshen their breath or calm their nerves before going in to see a bunch of friends/relatives at a stressful private event. In my opinion the more inappropriate behavior was the news crew filming them from afar to avoid detection.

 

[Charlot123]

I'm curious where the bolded and underlined statements are coming from? Is this just your opinion or are these fact based statements?

Totally my opinion. We have no fact-based statements but I think most people who have a person on the spectrum, either in the family, or as a friend, can see what I mean. Plus the fact that the kid was nonverbal autistic. It usually implies at least one of the parents being on the spectrum. (There are situations when neither parent formally is diagnosable, but the kid inherits certain parts if the genome from both).

However, did you view the interview with dad? I sat through it although it was lengthy. Everything, the cadence of his speech, the formulation of phrases, the demeanour looked pretty much on the spectrum to me.

I think in this situation, it is more fair to explain his "abnormal" reaction by certain difficulty expressing emotions than suspect him of something evil just because he has these traits. They are tearing him apart on Twitter just because he is not crying.

 

[Charlot123]

Y'all, please msg me if anything big happens, I'm fixing to take my broken self, 3 kids and a fatty rottie and evacuate bc hubs is working and Michael is headed for us....

((sweet maddox how I wish you were safe))

Stay safe, Floridamomma! You and your family.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Stay safe, Floridamomma! You and your family.

Yes, please check in with us and let us know you and yours are okay. We care.

 

[heartgoesout]

Totally my opinion. We have no fact-based statements but I think most people who have a person on the spectrum, either in the family, or as a friend, can see what I mean. Plus the fact that the kid was nonverbal autistic. It usually implies at least one of the parents being on the spectrum. (There are situations when neither parent formally is diagnosable, but the kid inherits certain parts if the genome from both).

However, did you view the interview with dad? I sat through it although it was lengthy. Everything, the cadence of his speech, the formulation of phrases, the demeanour looked pretty much on the spectrum to me.

I think in this situation, it is more fair to explain his "abnormal" reaction by certain difficulty expressing emotions than suspect him of something evil just because he has these traits. They are tearing him apart on Twitter just because he is not crying.

Respectfully, I completely disagree. I see something completely different in his behavior.

 

[tara83]

Respectfully, I completely disagree. I see something completely different in his behavior.

We don't even know the cause of death and this could be a sad accident.I think we should hold off until we at least know a crime was commited before accusing anyone.

 

[heartgoesout]

We don't even know the cause of death and this could be a sad accident.I think we should hold off until we at least know a crime was commited before accusing anyone.

It certainly could be. I have not accused anyone of anything. My comment was I do not agree that dad shows clear signs of being on the spectrum.

 

[Ketzer]

I can’t help but believe that if LE have every reason to believe this was a tragic accident, they would have said so, even with the caveat that nothing is definitive without autopsy reports. They are well aware of the worry and unease this incident has caused, I just can’t fathom that they would tell public “stop spreading rumors” but not ease worry by saying that it “appears” to be an accident at this time.

I’m not certainly not pointing fingers at anyone in particular, I just feel like, when it appears to be an accident, LE are very quick to inform the same.

The behavior of family, although far from what you would “expect,” can be explained many ways. It is the actions of LE that have really given me pause about this case. MOO.

 

[Lillymac]

The clip provided above showing Maddox's father could not have been more than 5 seconds long. Not long enough for judgements. Is there also a clip of the visitation?

And did everyone see the back of the program that was a picture of Maddox as a newborn with his mother and father? Family apparently doesn't bear ill feelings toward dad.

I think this dad has been brow beat enough! As for me, I'll wait for a COD before criticizing anything about this family. The grief they are going thru is the most horrible pain a person can have. It never gets easier or goes away. I am three years, one month and eight days into mine. When the facts are revealed, and it is determined there's more, sleuthing can be done based on facts not suppositions...jmo

 

[MyTinkieGirl]

But what are you trying to sleuth? I'm sorry, but I'm confused.
I guess I'll just sit on my hands...

I'm sittin out at this point in time, as well.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I watched several video reports at the visitation. Parents not in any of them. Maddox's maternal aunt, Delores, speaks. She's very articulate as the family spokesperson. Nothing at all unusual in the media reports.

Visitation held for Maddox Ritch

Funeral services to be held Friday for Maddox Ritch

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[MsFacetious]

I can’t help but believe that if LE have every reason to believe this was a tragic accident, they would have said so, even with the caveat that nothing is definitive without autopsy reports. They are well aware of the worry and unease this incident has caused, I just can’t fathom that they would tell public “stop spreading rumors” but not ease worry by saying that it “appears” to be an accident at this time.

I’m not certainly not pointing fingers at anyone in particular, I just feel like, when it appears to be an accident, LE are very quick to inform the same.

The behavior of family, although far from what you would “expect,” can be explained many ways. It is the actions of LE that have really given me pause about this case. MOO.

That just isn't unusual to me with the FBI involved.
LE has been extraordinarily tight lipped and protective of the family from day one.
It does not surprise me that they are continuing to do so.
I believe they will announce their conclusion once they have completed everything.

 

[Katerz]

I haven't followed lately because I've been working like crazy, but I am finally caught up. I understand that people on this forum want to try and solve a crime, find out an answer, ect.. but some of the stuff I've read has just baffled me. WHO CARES IF THE DAD IS ON THE SPECTRUM?? It does NOT matter. He's still a human who had a child that died. Until the investigators say he was involved, his health does not matter. He is a victim until stated otherwise.

When my mom passed away 5 years ago, I was hysterical. I didn't know what to do. Where to go. How to handle anything. Her boyfriend of 8 years (who I call my dad)? He didn't show much emotion when she died. We all handle grief differently. Ian said himself that he didn't worry at first, and it wasn't until a day or two into the investigation, that he realized something really serious was going on. I can feel his emotion through his social media posts. some people are just not that great at showing their emotions. And that's okay. To speculate that he's on the spectrum, we are not doctors. We are not there viewing his every day Life. Let that family be so they can grieve.

I've never once recanted something that has happened the exact same way. My memory is horrible. The first time I explain what happened, it's one story. The next time it's slightly different because I've remembered details. There's always a slight difference between the first time I've told it, to the last time. And that's OKAY. It doesn't mean I am lying, because I can't lie to save my life. It just means I've remembered more details.

I do wish they would announce the COD. But they may want to cross their T's and dot their I's before they release anymore information.