GUILTY VA - Noah Thomas, 5, Pulaski County, 22 March 2015 #3

[hisjerseygirl]

That's good to know. I was wondering if this could happen. So it actually is feasable that he could have opened it and fell in and the lid closed on its own.

these particular septic tanks were described as bolted down....right?

 

[SeriouslySearching]

As I understood it, he was NOT wearing his coat and boots when last seen. His mother later reported those items missing after LE arrived and she was encouraged to search for items missing like those.

It was mentioned the coat turned up missing, but I heard nothing about the boots not being seen on him.

 

[ANonyMs]

{respectfully snipped}

"We will make a formal statement on the findings."

That has stuck with me, too. I truly believe that LE has a strategy (and that strategy includes careful timing).

 

[TTF14]

http://m.wdbj7.com/news/sheriff-no-lingering-danger-to-children-following-noah-thomas-case/32094190

Orlando Salinas reports a 6 pm today, that they expect a "full house" at Noah's funeral and that "the last nine words are important."

"We will make a formal statement on the findings."

Ugh. If true, that leads me to believe a parent is involved and made a deal to not be taken into custody until after the funeral.

 

[ANonyMs]

these particular septic tanks were described as bolted down....right?

Should be bolted down. Designed to be bolted down. Normally bolted down.

We have nothing that tells us at this point if that particular lid was bolted down, if so was it done correctly, was the lid intact in such a condition that it could be secured (a plastic lid is easy to break).

 

[GigTu]

This is a serious question: Is there any other way to end up in the septic tank other than through the lid? What size are the pipes leading into it? Out of it?

 

[TTF14]

This is a serious question: Is there any other way to end up in the septic tank other than through the lid? What size are the pipes leading into it? Out of it?

We have a septic tank and I really don't think anyone bigger than a premature newborn baby could get in any other way than through the lid......but I'm not an expert on such things.....

 

[deugirtni]

Even if the lid somehow managed to go perfectly back in place.. apparently there is a square of sod that was over the lid as well, as seen and reported on by a news reporter.. if that piece of sod had been somewhere other than covering the septic-lid when police first arrived, then LE would have noticed right away at first inspection of the yard.. and that would have been a large clue that something could have happened, and I'm sure they would have made a decision to pump it right away. Somehow, LE, although it is stated they checked the septic a few times, decided it did not warrant pumping until day 5. Although a lid could potentially flip back into place after devouring a human by accident, the sod has no such tricks up its sleeve.

Sadly, that's not true. Some lids fall back down in place, on a "hinge".

 

[TTF14]

Even if the lid somehow managed to go perfectly back in place.. apparently there is a square of sod that was over the lid as well, as seen and reported on by a news reporter.. if that piece of sod had been somewhere other than covering the septic-lid when police first arrived, then LE would have noticed right away at first inspection of the yard.. and that would have been a large clue that something could have happened, and I'm sure they would have made a decision to pump it right away. Somehow, LE, although it is stated they checked the septic a few times, decided it did not warrant pumping until day 5. Although a lid could potentially flip back into place after devouring a human by accident, the sod has no such tricks up its sleeve.

Hadn't heard that about the sod. Thanks for bringing that back up. Very great point.

 

[deugirtni]

In my experience, and having been a child at one time myself even, I find that children are much less tolerant of odors than an adult. I can't see a child choosing to open the lid of a septic just for fun, just due to the odor alone. MOO.

if noah had liked to "look" in the septic tank (that was several feet underground...???) wouldn't this information have been offered to police when a friend/family member/whoever was being asked things like what he did outside or where he liked to be outside??

 

[ANonyMs]

This is a serious question: Is there any other way to end up in the septic tank other than through the lid? What size are the pipes leading into it? Out of it?

No, not really. Unless they have some unusual system, the pipe that leads to the tank is 6" round, I think.

 

[Tillicum]

This is a serious question: Is there any other way to end up in the septic tank other than through the lid? What size are the pipes leading into it? Out of it?

Nope and the pipes are 3-4 inches in diameter.

 

[GigTu]

So then, here in WS I can only conclude that someone harmed the child and tried to hide him in the septic tank. A mother awoken perhaps, who lost her temper and made a stupid mistake in the heat of the moment.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

http://m.wdbj7.com/news/sheriff-no-lingering-danger-to-children-following-noah-thomas-case/32094190

Orlando Salinas reports a 6 pm today, that they expect a "full house" at Noah's funeral and that "the last nine words are important."

"We will make a formal statement on the findings."

It is misleading when taken out of context.

I ask that you respect my office's mission to thoroughly investigate the circumstances of this case and at the appropriate time - when it would not otherwise jeopardize this investigation - we will make a formal statement on the findings."

http://m.wdbj7.com/news/sheriff-no-lingering-danger-to-children-following-noah-thomas-case/32094190 bbm

This does not mean anytime soon, imo. The sheriff clearly said he is going to wait until the tox screens are back and they get the COD before they give up the MOD. This should take 7-8 weeks. Then, if the investigation is considered over and the Sheriff has decided he will comment on the case, he will finally give us their "formal statement". Not holding my breath. And I am not happy with the way the Sheriff is handling this right now. What an injustice for Noah if in fact his parents have done nothing wrong and the Sheriff allowed this to hang over their heads for days and weeks.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Jessica's story is one of the most horrific cases that I think any parent could go through. To have a child simply vanish and it's a complete stranger opportunistically and it's your child right there at the wrong time. I cried many tears over that sweet girl's fate and I'm so glad her killer was found. I read wayyyyy too many details about it and it really haunts me. It has also made me see that random and horrible things DO happen and you can't really ever fully discount the random abduction snatch off the street scenario. It really could happen....but where Noah was found it does not seem likely that it was a random stranger. Firstly how would a random stranger even know the septic tank is right there and would want to be scene fiddling with the bolts etc. No, this is someone close to home who knows him well or has seen him around the neighborhood....or of course a family member. Ugh, it's so hard to think about and we won't have answers for awhile.

There are so many tragic cases involving children and Jessica's case is certainly one of them.

But the one that will haunt me the rest of my days the most is Shasta and Dylan Greone who suffered at the torturous, sadistic, depraved hands of pedophile/murderer, Joe Duncan for 7 long hellish weeks. What he did to those children is beyond sickening. There are simply no words to describe someone like him. And to know he had already murdered their mother, older brother, and the mother's boyfriend before kidnapping them makes me tear up even today just thinking about what all they endure at the hands of a monster.

I still see Dylan's sweet impish face to this day. Shasta had to watch as her brother was repeatedly raped and tortured until Duncan finally murdered him 6 weeks later and then made Shasta drag her brother's body through fire so Duncan could burn him up. That case is really about a true monster who came up from the pits of hell.

I don't think another case has affected me like that one even though I have cried many tears for murdered children. It is the worst of the worst for me anyway when it comes to what murderers have put little defenseless children though. It is even hard to fathom that someone supposedly human can reek of total evilness, and keep it up everyday for weeks on end. And he video taped everything he did to those precious children.

I pray that Shasta is doing well. I will never forget her or how strong she was/is. She was only 8 years old when this happened to her and her family.

IMO

 

[Tillicum]

So then, here in WS I can only conclude that someone harmed the child and tried to hide him in the septic tank. A mother awoken perhaps, who lost her temper and made a stupid mistake in the heat of the moment.

I think it would be difficult but not impossible for a woman to dig up the sod very quickly. I also can't see anyone doing it in broad daylight for fear of the neighbors seeing them.

 

[kaen]

I think the oddest thing about this is that no family is speaking up about Noah. The landlord refers to Noah as like a grandson to him. Other than the paternal aunt and uncle, no family statements. I can understand the parental silence from differing perspectives--devastation, guilt, etc---but I don't understand the silence of the rest of the family. Are they rallying around or just in shock? It is just strange to me.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Even if the lid somehow managed to go perfectly back in place.. apparently there is a square of sod that was over the lid as well, as seen and reported on by a news reporter.. if that piece of sod had been somewhere other than covering the septic-lid when police first arrived, then LE would have noticed right away at first inspection of the yard.. and that would have been a large clue that something could have happened, and I'm sure they would have made a decision to pump it right away. Somehow, LE, although it is stated they checked the septic a few times, decided it did not warrant pumping until day 5. Although a lid could potentially flip back into place after devouring a human by accident, the sod has no such tricks up its sleeve.

We only have confirmation of the sod patch being on the lid after LE and the worker pumped the tank. We can't assume it was there before. LE could have done some digging around the area and the patch came from another area.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

I think it would be difficult but not impossible for a woman to dig up the sod very quickly. I also can't see anyone doing it in broad daylight for fear of the neighbors seeing them.

If the shovel was sharp it really wouldn't be a problem I don't think. I weigh 122 pounds and I do dig up sodded grass at times and move it to other areas without any problem. I just use my leg and foot as leverage on the shovel as I push it into the ground. And we have very thick St. Augustine grass.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

I think the oddest thing about this is that no family is speaking up about Noah. The landlord refers to Noah as like a grandson to him. Other than the paternal aunt and uncle, no family statements. I can understand the parental silence from differing perspectives--devastation, guilt, etc---but I don't understand the silence of the rest of the family. Are they rallying around or just in shock? It is just strange to me.

I have read a couple of messages sent from the family: From Paul's sister and from the man at the vigil who said he was a friend of the family. People seem to be overlooking these. Is the delivery of the people meant to speak for the family or is the family not saying what people feel they should say?