This is TOTALLY off-topic, but does this board drive anyone else as crazy as it does me? I sign-in, post one msg., then try to post another and it asks me to sign in again. Then throws me back to a different page than I was originally on. I end up dizzier than I usually am!:crazy:

Just wanted to thank Dipahead for sharing. Like my mom says, there is always 2 sides to every story.

6) One of the Maples 3 daughters was still living at home when all of this went down. She had no idea that she would come home from school one day to find her parents and niece and nephew gone, and have no idea that she would very possibly never see them again.

I have one question to ask; If what you say is the truth, why do you think the Maples took two of their grandchildren and leave one behind and then walk out on the rest of their entire family?

Isn't it upto the courts to decide whose guilty of what rather than kidnapping your own grandchildren.

Dipahead, two things:

1. the Maples accused the Baskins of child molesation. This is a serious charge, and in order for law enforcement to believe the charge is true, they would probably want some evidence. Do the Maples have evidence? Certainly if there was abuse, a doctor would have found evidence of that right? If the Baskins are guilty, then they would be imprisoned right? If the Maples are innocent, then they have no reason to run from authorities for nearly 20 years right?

2. You used the strengh-in-numbers defense a little awhile ago to defend the Maples, by saying that not a single member of Debby's family sides with her. This suggests that because the vast majority of a group of people believe something to be correct, then it must be correct. Which is absurd, but if it's true, I could subsequently turn the tables on you by saying that the vast majority of the people in this country/forum and the vast majority of law enforcement believe that the Maples are guilty. So if that is true, then the Maples must be guilty then, using your defense, right?

This is TOTALLY off-topic, but does this board drive anyone else as crazy as it does me? I sign-in, post one msg., then try to post another and it asks me to sign in again. Then throws me back to a different page than I was originally on. I end up dizzier than I usually am!:crazy:

Hmm I've never heard of that before. You should send TJ (the administrator) a pm explaining the problem and maybe he can help you out. :)

As I've said, a couple of times now, they did not have access to Michael. He would not have been left behind had there been any other choice.

Apples and oranges....her family knows her, the country does not. How can that be so difficult to see? Apparently you didn't read what I said about Mark's father either, his part in all of this (being one of the accused), and his influence in Murfreesboro.

Everyone was under suspicion, not just Debbie's sisters. Everyone was questioned. I don't know about Sandra's family, but in Marvin's family there was no hostility. Seeing how Debbie wasn't mentioned in her grandmother's obit, I'm going to guess that it was the same for Sandra's family too.

I told you what I know, period. The only reason I even said anything at all is because my mom found this link and was pretty upset by everyone bashing her brother and his wife. She knows her brother as well as anyone and knows damn well he'd never take those kids unless he felt he had no other choice. And no, he was not PW'd, as had been suggested elsewhere in all of this BS. I would love to have more information, but I don't. And to get it would be to upset my cousins by bringing up a subject that they've done their best to get past, and considering what they've been through I refuse to do that. Do I have sympathy for Mark and Debbie? Based on what I know, no I don't. Those kids would have gone back to more abuse if it was all true. So you can take the info that I gave you and believe what you will, as I said, it's your choice.

You speak as if this was some *years* long, drawn out court battle and the Maples got fed up with the legal system not working for them so they "had no other choice". All these events transpired over a short period of time. The courts had already given them temp. custody in light of the molestation allegation so WHY did they feel they "had no other choice" but to kidnap their grandchildren and run?

They ran because they are criminals. They knew the allegations were bunk and that Mark and Debbie would have their own precious children returned to them, so the Maples fled. They COMMITTED A HEINOUS CRIME and kidnapped 2 children that were not theirs. They DID have a choice. They could have stayed, voiced their continued concerns to the courts if they had any, and sought counseling for the entire family had the abuse actually occurred. But the truth is, the abuse and molestation DID NOT occur, the Maples ARE criminals, and Mark and Debbie are GOOD PARENTS.

And if the Maples are still living, why don't they surface and defend themselves against the "bashing"? I guess the TRUTH to their now-grown grandchildren is not as important as hiding to escape trial.

Those kids would have gone back to more abuse if it was all true.

IF...a very powerful word. Why did the Maples not allow the courts to decide IF it was all true?

Criminals...the Maples are CRIMINALS, no matter how you slice this thing. Mark and Debbie, and Mark's father MIGHT have done this or that...the Maples most definitely HAVE committed a crime. NO ONE can justify that.

No, I don't speak like it's some long, drawn out court battle. Maybe you should reread.

You don't think Bobby and Kristi would justify running away as opposed to being sexually molested? Hmm.....let's see....go with Grandma and Grandpa and be safe, or stay and be hurt....yeah.

You don't think Bobby and Kristi would justify running away as opposed to being sexually molested? Hmm.....let's see....go with Grandma and Grandpa and be safe, or stay and be hurt....yeah.

No that's not what I am saying, I am saying that the Maples could have taken the children but why run? That's kidnapping. If what you say is true, let the court decide the fate of the Baskin's. Why did they run and leave their entire family behind. This makes no sense.

Ok...without doing any harm to other family members:

1) Marvin is my Uncle. My mother is his sister.

That being said:

2) Debbie was never accused of molesting her children. Mark and his FATHER were accused by Bobby and Kristi.

3) Marvin and Sandra Maple were Bobby and Kristi's legal guardians, in case of a medical emergency while in Marvin and Sandra's care, before any accusations were ever made, since Mark and Debbie were to be living in another state with Michael.

4) Mark's father (the other accused) was a very influential man, one of the "good ole boys", to quote crochetbuff, within Murfreesboro.

5) NONE of Marvin's side of the family has ANY idea where they are; they have not been heard from...and EVERY immediate family member was interviewed by the FBI immediately following their disappearance.

6) One of the Maples 3 daughters was still living at home when all of this went down. She had no idea that she would come home from school one day to find her parents and niece and nephew gone, and have no idea that she would very possibly never see them again.

7) Every one of Marvin's siblings contacted Unsolved Mysteries so that the facts as they knew them could be heard...Unsolved Mysteries refused to talk to any of them, telling them that "we already have our story".

8) The house shown in Unsolved Mysteries, the one with the "for sale" sign in front of it, was not the Maple home.

9) Many months before Kristi and Bobby moved in and before any of the accusations were made, Sandra had written several letters to Marvin's mother (my grandmother) saying that they had already raised their children and really didn't want to take care of Bobby and Kristi...but they were doing it because Debbie and Mark needed their help.

Now...I HOPE that the person who found Robert Baskin on MySpace, and requested him as a friend, does NOT have any intention of questioning him, or telling him things. If it truly is him, let the legal system do what they need do do (assuming they can get at least one part of this right); he doesn't need to hear half baked stories from people who know nothing other than what they've heard from the twisted media. If it is him, I'm sure that Mark and Debbie will find out soon enough.

I hope this satisfies all of you, because I have nothing else to add.

Well I guess you've got no reply dipahead. I hope you realize that you're aunt and uncle took the law into their own hands and for that, they should be made to face the consequences...

4) Mark's father (the other accused) was a very influential man, one of the "good ole boys", to quote crochetbuff, within Murfreesboro.

And yes, the daughter left at home was an adult...they did not abandon a child...school being college, sorry to mislead.

What difference does age make? She came home one day, and her parents were gone. 18 years later, they are STILL gone. No word with them since, she doesn't know where they are, how they're working, what their health is like - that is ABANDONMENT, plain and simple. Because she is completely cut from their lives. And it's not just her, but the rest of Sandra's family and YOUR family. When they chose to kidnap the children, they chose to abandon their entire family. And given the number of family members you all have, that is ALOT of people.

That's why I'm surprised to hear how supportive your family is about them taking the children and running. They abandoned you guys, so where does that leave you? In taking the children and running, they not only made victims of the Baskins but a TON of other people as well.

And please don't go into the whole, "they were trying to save them from being abused" argument again. Because even if it were true, they could have found another way to fight this without having to abandon their family.

You people wanted more information, you got it. I'm sorry it wasn't what you wanted to hear, but I can't change it.

You don't think Bobby and Kristi would justify running away as opposed to being sexually molested? Hmm.....let's see....go with Grandma and Grandpa and be safe, or stay and be hurt....yeah.

Hurt? The grandparents already had temp. custody because of the molestation investigation. The children were not in any immediate danger. How about staying and doing things the LEGAL way? How about teaching children that there is a LEGAL way to do things? And the question remains...was Michael not important enough to save from these evil parents? Two outta three ain't bad??? And ONE *UNPROVEN*, in fact *DISPUTED BY PROFESSIONALS*, allegation of child molestation is cause enough to disappear forever and NEVER have any contact with the rest of your family, including another grandson who might be in danger???

Your argument lacks all wisdom and logic. The Maples are criminals.

There was no arguement...like I said, sorry what I know isn't what you wanted to hear, but I can't and won't change it just so that you can justify your hatred of the Maples.

There was no arguement...like I said, sorry what I know isn't what you wanted to hear, but I can't and won't change it just so that you can justify your hatred of the Maples.

That's not what we're getting at. What you know and what you stated are actually interesting facts but they don't change the fact that the Maples broke the law. At least with me, I'm just baffled at how you can give them a free pass over the way they handled this and how it doesn't even make you angry that they cut you all out of their lives forever.

That's not what we're getting at. What you know and what you stated are actually interesting facts but they don't change the fact that the Maples broke the law. At least with me, I'm just baffled at how you can give them a free pass over the way they handled this and how it doesn't even make you angry that they cut you all out of their lives forever.

Exactly.

I have no hatred toward the Maples. I don't know them, so I can't have any personal feelings toward them one way or another.

Exactly.

I have no hatred toward the Maples. I don't know them, so I can't have any personal feelings toward them one way or another.


Well, there have been some posters (possibly myself included) who have called them evil, or possibly evil if they did this using false accusations. And/or just did this, leaving no options for resolution (or whatever) for the Baskins and the rest of the extended family.

Well, there have been some posters (possibly myself included) who have called them evil, or possibly evil if they did this using false accusations. And/or just did this, leaving no options for resolution (or whatever) for the Baskins and the rest of the extended family.

>>How terrible if any of them do know something and they are keeping it secret. If they are keeping secrets, they are truly evil, heartless people.
<<

Hmm, Looks like I called any family that knew anything and was helping hide the Maples evil... How nice of me.

It has been posted that no one in dipaheads family knows anything of their whereabouts, so then they are not heartless and evil.

You don't think Bobby and Kristi would justify running away as opposed to being sexually molested? Hmm.....let's see....go with Grandma and Grandpa and be safe, or stay and be hurt....yeah.

And what about Michael? Isn't anyone concerned that the Baskins may have been molesting him as well? How come there has been no move from anybody to remove Michael from the Baskins?

And what about Michael? Isn't anyone concerned that the Baskins may have been molesting him as well? How come there has been no move from anybody to remove Michael from the Baskins?

Dipahead stated that Michael was out of the state of Tennessee when Robert & Katharine were taken.

I'm not sure otherwise if there was any attempt made by the Maples' to get custody of him in the state he was residing.

I still have a hard time believing that if anyone truly believed the allegations against the Baskins, that the Baskins would have gone on to be able to adopt a child. I know that there have been cases where people who shouldn't have been allowed to adopt a child, were allowed, but they had aired these allegations on national television. So if any agency had even a shred of doubt about them they would deny them. And, as I've stated, Mark Baskin has since held several teaching positions.

I know that the state-to-state communication of records is not always the best. Still, there's always going to be some co-worker, student or parent that is gonna see a re-run of the U.M. episode and ask questions. So I can't believe that he'd not be a garbage man or something by now if these allegations weren't proven to be totally unfounded. No offense to garbage men or anything!

I have a question for you Dipahead...

You say that you started posting because your Mother came across this board and got upset....

So my questions is... What was she looking for, for her to find this board and this thread about the children?

She must have been searching specifically for them to find this board, perhaps. Unless she's into the UM tv show too.

So are you able to tell us why she even found this board and what exactly she was looking for?

I'd also like to ask you dipahead, you keep telling us either we believe the Unsolved Mysteries segment or we believe you. From that statement, I gather you think some facts pointed out in the segment were false. Fine, what were they? (Besides the obvious - the house used in the renactment and Mark and his father being accused of molestation.)

What else was said about the investigation in the segment that was false? Do you believe the police officer and Court appointed guardian were lying?

:rolleyes: I'm sorry, but that question is ridiculous. Think about it...you wouldn't be looking for information on your family members if you were in our position?

I'd also like to ask you dipahead, you keep telling us either we believe the Unsolved Mysteries segment or we believe you. From that statement, I gather you think some facts pointed out in the segment were false. Fine, what were they? (Besides the obvious - the house used in the renactment and Mark and his father being accused of molestation.)

What else was said about the investigation in the segment that was false? Do you believe the police officer and Court appointed guardian were lying?

Let's just say, as I've been trying to say all along, that Mark's father had a lot of pull within the community..."good ole boys". If he managed to do what we think he did, my Aunt and Uncle didn't have a chance in hell of doing things legally, so they did the only thing they felt they could. And the kids court appointed legal guardians, as I already stated, were my Aunt and Uncle.....for emergency reasons, since Mark and Debbie weren't in the same state. I feel like I'm endlessly repeating myself...honestly I think I'm done. You wanted more info, you got it, take it for what it's worth.

>>How terrible if any of them do know something and they are keeping it secret. If they are keeping secrets, they are truly evil, heartless people.
<<

Hmm, Looks like I called any family that knew anything and was helping hide the Maples evil... How nice of me.

It has been posted that no one in dipaheads family knows anything of their whereabouts, so then they are not heartless and evil.

I thought I'd just add a bit to this:

"After hearing how awful the Maples are, they would NEVER let that happen.
The Maples are pure evil to do that to their own daughter."
dynoguy88

"Because the Maple's are the idiot grandparents that kidnapped the kids."
dynoguy88

"How lucky can a couple of ROTTEN grandparents be?"
dynoguy88

"They were ALWAYS a part of your family, psycho."
"Why did these moron grandparents hate her so much for wanting to take HER children home with her?"
dynoguy88

"She not only lost two of her children in all of this but she also lost her parents the day they decided to turn into PURE evil."
dynoguy88

"I just watched this today and it makes me sick that these evil people would do this to their daughter."
Felix Na Vi Da

"I don't think the Baskins had to make up anything crazy about the Maples."
dynoguy88

"Or does everyone know what an unbelievably crazy couple they were?"
Briony Coote

"That I hope if they are ever found that they can reconcile with their parents and brother and dump their lousy grandparents!!!!"
Mystery Lover

"Yes, this case certainly shows how desperation can turn people, ordinary people like you and me into utter monsters."
Briony Coote

"I hope there will be a few very watchful eyes at the funeral in case that lousy Sandra Maples decides to make an appearance."
crystaldawn

"Rest in peace, Estelle. I'm very sorry you had to give birth to such a rotten excuse for a daughter who would willingly destroy her own family."
dynoguy88

"I doubt she would turn up - except maybe from a distance. She may not even have heard that her mother had died. Stupid Sandra!"
Briony Coote

"On the question of Sandra Maple cutting herself off from her entire family by kidnapping her grandchildren, I can think of two reasons in her warped mind:"
Briony Coote

"Stinky Sandra!"
Briony Coote

"And what do they think about Michael? Assuming some members of Sandra's family have turned against Debbie, what are their feelings in regard to her remaining son? Aren't they concerned about Michael's safety? Don't they find it weird that Sandra and Marvin allowed the parents they were accusing of child molesting to stay with them? If so, they were as idiotic as the judge!"
Briony Coote

"There is NO defending these horrible people, they are criminals. Next thing you know, we'll have people coming here to defend Osama Bin Laden. Ugh."
dynoguy88

Makes me proud to be a member of the human race, lol

Let's just say, as I've been trying to say all along, that Mark's father had a lot of pull within the community..."good ole boys". If he managed to do what we think he did, my Aunt and Uncle didn't have a chance in hell of doing things legally, so they did the only thing they felt they could. And the kids court appointed legal guardians, as I already stated, were my Aunt and Uncle.....for emergency reasons, since Mark and Debbie weren't in the same state. I feel like I'm endlessly repeating myself...honestly I think I'm done. You wanted more info, you got it, take it for what it's worth.

You are the queen of vague facts. (When I said Court Appointed guardian - I meant Karen Hornsby)

So basically, in your own mind you think Mark's father was able to get Karen Hornsby and Detective Anita Flagg who now works for the FBI to lie about EVERYTHING involving the the investigation of molestation and psychological tests on BOTH the Maples and Baskins - that's some serious accusations.

I couldn't help but shake my head in disbelief when you stated, "If he managed to do what we think he did..." So you're basing your entire argument on this whole mess about something you THINK might have happened with no proof. I can finally see I'm going to get nowhere with you.

Makes me proud to be a member of the human race, lol

Oh please. I meant every single word after hearing/reading comments about the case from people OTHER than Debbie and Mark. If I'm wrong, I'd gladly eat my words. But you have no proof to back up your accusations.

You are the queen of vague facts. (When I said Court Appointed guardian - I meant Karen Hornsby)

So basically, in your own mind you think Mark's father was able to get Karen Hornsby and Detective Anita Flagg who now works for the FBI to lie about EVERYTHING involving the the investigation of molestation and psychological tests on BOTH the Maples and Baskins - that's some serious accusations.

I couldn't help but shake my head in disbelief when you stated, "If he managed to do what we think he did..." So you're basing your entire argument on this whole mess about something you THINK might have happened with no proof. I can finally see I'm going to get nowhere with you.

I'm sorry......if he did what we WERE TOLD he did.....but whatever. NOW BOW BEFORE YOUR QUEEN! lmao!

Let's just say, as I've been trying to say all along, that Mark's father had a lot of pull within the community..."good ole boys."


*singing* "Just some good ole' boys
Never meanin' no harm
Beats all you ever saw
Been in trouble with the law
Since the day they were born..."

.... oh, shoot. Wrong message board!

In all seriousness, I appreciate all you've had to tell us, Dipahead, but frankly, I'm not convinced. If Sandra and Marvin TRULY believed that "they didn't have a choice," they could have simply refused to turn the children over to their parents. Then, they chould have hired an attorney and demanded an emergency custody hearing... oh, wait. Didn't they do that? And didn't the judge grant them temporary custody until they could determine if those accusations were true? Didn't the Maples flee shortly thereafter? And didn't the courts find that the allegations were unfounded?

Now that doesn't look good, does it? I also understand your "good ole boys" comment, but I have a very hard time believing the conspiracy goes up the chain that far, ESPECIALLY if innocent children were being hurt.

Just sayin'.

It's obvious that dipahead, as a close family member of Marvin Maple has a hard time considering that the molestation accusation against the Baskins could have been untrue. It would be hard to imagine an Uncle that you love doing something like this without a very good reason. I'm not sure it's getting anyone on either side anywhere by pushing each others buttons so much.

I apologize for being "board mother" here...

My feeling is that I'm happy that she finally did share what she knows with us. I still have my opinions, but will try to consider both sides more. Yes, it would have been better all around if they had stayed around longer and tried to keep fighting through the legal system. There seem to be so many
victims in this case. The children, and several extended families left behind to wonder.

This whole thing is just so terribly sad. I come from an extremely close family where we are always there for one another. Family means the world to us. If something goes wrong, we always stick close to work things out. That is why i try so hard to try to understand how someone could just up and leave their own children, as well as their parents without a single goodbye. Not even a little phone call. That to me is strange. I honestly don't know what to say about the whole kidnapping now, because there are 2 sides. So no one really knows. It has been so many years and they have not contacted anyone. No one knows if they are alive or anything. I wonder if the Maples children are upset with them since they have just left them. This whole situation could have been handled differently so they would not have caused all the pain that they caused. Such a mess, and a terribly sad situation. I also know that god never closes a door without opening a window. He sees and knows evereything, and i do believe that whoever was in the wrong will get their payback. I'm sorry for the long post, and I am not trying to preach to anyone, just wanted to say what I felt, and since i can't sleep 2-nite, I felt like posting. Goodnight all.

Apples and oranges....her family knows her, the country does not. How can that be so difficult to see? Apparently you didn't read what I said about Mark's father either, his part in all of this (being one of the accused), and his influence in Murfreesboro.

I didn't read apparently huh? Perhaps you'd like to respond as to why you haven't answered most of our questions, and that ones that you have responded to have been vague non-answers. Maybe you haven't read, or maybe it's because you have no way of justifying the Maples behavior.

Oh, and the story about Mark's father being a influence is obviously false. First of all, assuming that were true, he obviously didn't get to Judge Corlew, who gave custody to the Maples (I don't agree with his decision.) Second, if there is so much corruption in Murfreesboro, TN, which I highly doubt, why didn't the Maples take it to the State Supreme Court, or the U.S. Supreme Court? The "corruption" doesn't spread there, does it?

And if the psychiatrist who said there was no indications of abuse on Bobby was lying, then certainly most other psychiatrists/doctors would prove otherwise, wouldn't they? Any attempts on the Maples part to take them to other doctors?

The only reason the Maples got custody of Bobby and Kristi in the first place was through a boneheaded decision by Judge Corlew. Now what he should have done was put them in the temporary care of an impartial third party. Had that happened, maybe some of this ugliness could have been avoided.

I told you what I know, period. The only reason I even said anything at all is because my mom found this link and was pretty upset by everyone bashing her brother and his wife. She knows her brother as well as anyone and knows damn well he'd never take those kids unless he felt he had no other choice. And no, he was not PW'd, as had been suggested elsewhere in all of this BS. I would love to have more information, but I don't. And to get it would be to upset my cousins by bringing up a subject that they've done their best to get past, and considering what they've been through I refuse to do that. Do I have sympathy for Mark and Debbie? Based on what I know, no I don't. Those kids would have gone back to more abuse if it was all true. So you can take the info that I gave you and believe what you will, as I said, it's your choice.

However much Marvin believed in the allegations, was it not for (if it came to that) a judge and jury to decide on the matter? In any case the fact remains - the police found NO EVIDENCE to substantiate the charges.

By the way, what does PW'd mean? Living in New Zealand I am not acquainted with all the American slang.

It's obvious that dipahead, as a close family member of Marvin Maple has a hard time considering that the molestation accusation against the Baskins could have been untrue. It would be hard to imagine an Uncle that you love doing something like this without a very good reason. I'm not sure it's getting anyone on either side anywhere by pushing each others buttons so much.

I apologize for being "board mother" here...

My feeling is that I'm happy that she finally did share what she knows with us. I still have my opinions, but will try to consider both sides more. Yes, it would have been better all around if they had stayed around longer and tried to keep fighting through the legal system. There seem to be so many
victims in this case. The children, and several extended families left behind to wonder.

I don't know if some family members have decided to stay out of this whole mess but I could hardly blame them if they had. Given what we have seen recently, it would be jolly sensible and safe not to take sides.

I didn't read apparently huh? Perhaps you'd like to respond as to why you haven't answered most of our questions, and that ones that you have responded to have been vague non-answers. Maybe you haven't read, or maybe it's because you have no way of justifying the Maples behavior.

Oh, and the story about Mark's father being a influence is obviously false. First of all, assuming that were true, he obviously didn't get to Judge Corlew, who gave custody to the Maples (I don't agree with his decision.) Second, if there is so much corruption in Murfreesboro, TN, which I highly doubt, why didn't the Maples take it to the State Supreme Court, or the U.S. Supreme Court? The "corruption" doesn't spread there, does it?

And if the psychiatrist who said there was no indications of abuse on Bobby was lying, then certainly most other psychiatrists/doctors would prove otherwise, wouldn't they? Any attempts on the Maples part to take them to other doctors?

The only reason the Maples got custody of Bobby and Kristi in the first place was through a boneheaded decision by Judge Corlew. Now what he should have done was put them in the temporary care of an impartial third party. Had that happened, maybe some of this ugliness could have been avoided.

I quite agree. From the moment I saw this story on UM I believed that the judge should have placed the children in custody of the court while the charges were being investigated. The stupidity of his decision was compounded by the fact that he did nothing about Michael and allowed alleged child molesters to retain custody of him.

In a parallel case, the Pat Farmer case, which also screened on UM, the judge did have the brains to do that while the ritual abuse charges Pat Farmer was lodging at her daughter were being investigated. Unfortunately that didn't stop Pat from abducting the grandson, Jared, during a custodial visit. At least in this case the authorities caught up with Pat pretty quickly.

Say, I wonder what sides Pat Farmer's family are taking?

By the way, what does PW'd mean? Living in New Zealand I am not acquainted with all the American slang.

Actually, I don't know that one either! Anyone?:wave:

Oh, I just re-read it again and I got it, PW'd means, um, Slang for Kitty+whipped. Get it?

Alright, so we've almost beat to death motives and guilt etc...

Now back to where the heck are they! (and this is not directed at anyone, as we've been told they don't know) Just back to that conversation, maybe...
:confused:

I didn't read apparently huh? Perhaps you'd like to respond as to why you haven't answered most of our questions, and that ones that you have responded to have been vague non-answers. Maybe you haven't read, or maybe it's because you have no way of justifying the Maples behavior.

Oh, and the story about Mark's father being a influence is obviously false. First of all, assuming that were true, he obviously didn't get to Judge Corlew, who gave custody to the Maples (I don't agree with his decision.) Second, if there is so much corruption in Murfreesboro, TN, which I highly doubt, why didn't the Maples take it to the State Supreme Court, or the U.S. Supreme Court? The "corruption" doesn't spread there, does it?

And if the psychiatrist who said there was no indications of abuse on Bobby was lying, then certainly most other psychiatrists/doctors would prove otherwise, wouldn't they? Any attempts on the Maples part to take them to other doctors?

The only reason the Maples got custody of Bobby and Kristi in the first place was through a boneheaded decision by Judge Corlew. Now what he should have done was put them in the temporary care of an impartial third party. Had that happened, maybe some of this ugliness could have been avoided.

If what Dipahead said about Mark's father being a powerful man in Murfreesboro was true, this makes Corlew's decision all the more "boneheaded." This meant the Maples were attacking one of the most powerful men in Murfreesboro. Surely Corlew would realise the ramifications of this, particularly if any local politics were implicated. To say nothing of what the consequences could be if the allegations turned out to be unfounded! You would think that this alone would make Corlew handle the allegations with more caution instead of taking them at face value without corroboration or representation from the Baskins.

This also makes the fact that Corlew appears to have emerged from this case unscathed all the more puzzling. If I was Baskin Snr I would raise a big stink and if I was as powerful as Dipahead says, Corlew would definitely NOT be the chancellor he is today.

Can anyone shed any light on this? Corlew's track record and his reputation as a judge at the time? What was the political climate at the time and could it have served as a factor in this case? Yes, I know about satanic ritual abuse scares being big at the time and turning into a witchhunt. That would definitely have been a big factor.

Oh, I just re-read it again and I got it, PW'd means, um, Slang for Kitty+whipped. Get it?

No. Please elucidate further.

No. Please elucidate further.

Answering in private msg.:D

:rofl:

I just wanted to add:
So many people have said that they find this odd, or that they find that odd...but what I find odd is this...Debbie comes from a fairly large family and not a single member supported her...yes...definitely odd. Really makes you stop and wonder...doesn't it?

Tell me, what was Debbie's relationship with her family like BEFORE the trouble started? For all we know there was another feud going on which estranged Debbie from her family.

Tell me, what was Debbie's relationship with her family like BEFORE the trouble started? For all we know there was another feud going on which estranged Debbie from her family.

U.M. made it sound like her relationship previously was fine. But who knows?!

I think that for Debbie's sisters, it must have been hard when the accusations of child molestation came about. They would probably HAVE to side with their parents, being that the accusations were against Mark and supposedly Marks' Father. That wasn't THEIR family. Marvin and Sandra were their family. It sounds like up to that point Marvin and Sandra were reasonable, law-abiding, "normal" folks, so of course their daughters, having been raised by them, would side with them. Debbie would side with her husband as long as she didn't believe he'd done anything.

U.M. made it sound like her relationship previously was fine. But who knows?!

I think that for Debbie's sisters, it must have been hard when the accusations of child molestation came about. They would probably HAVE to side with their parents, being that the accusations were against Mark and supposedly Marks' Father. That wasn't THEIR family. Marvin and Sandra were their family. It sounds like up to that point Marvin and Sandra were reasonable, law-abiding, "normal" folks, so of course their daughters, having been raised by them, would side with them. Debbie would side with her husband as long as she didn't believe he'd done anything.

And then they would never speak to Debbie again because she was siding with her husband and by doing so, inherently abetting the child molesting against her own children...ah yes, that figures.

It would have been different if Debbie had believed the charges her parents were making against her husband. Where the custody of Debbie's children might have led in regards to her or her parents nobody can say but her family would still be with her. But given that relations between the Debbie and her parents had been deteriorating prior to to the allegations (from what I have read there needs to be further explanation as to why this happened) naturally Debbie would not believe the allegations her mother and father were making. To her, it would be just another tactic from her feuding parents borne out of malice, anger or whatever.

I am wondering what careers and jobs Bobby and Kristi are pursuing. Considering the life they have had since 1989 they are unlikely to have had much chance for a settled education or established friendships. If they are still leading a life on the run it would be a handicap to a stable job or career. Unless, for example, they are pursuing the type of job which requires mobility, such as travelling salesmen or truck drivers.

What thoughts does anyone have?

If the grandparents were helped through the underground they have probably assumed identities of people who are dead using valid SSNs. To attend college and get a job you have to have a valid SSN regardless of the job you are pursuing, even as an independent contractor.

In 1989, it was a lot easier to fool the system.

I'm beginning to wonder if these kids are still alive.

If the grandparents were helped through the underground they have probably assumed identities of people who are dead using valid SSNs. To attend college and get a job you have to have a valid SSN regardless of the job you are pursuing, even as an independent contractor.

In 1989, it was a lot easier to fool the system.

I'm beginning to wonder if these kids are still alive.

I think it most likely the kids are still alive (unless something utterly horrendous and unexpected happened). I think it is more to the point to wonder if either or both of the grandparents are still alive.

By the way, what is a SSN?

^ Social Security Number

Nice avatar DarkDante: Mr. Doug Crow´s nemesis( i.e. Glenn Consagra). :eek:

I think it most likely the kids are still alive (unless something utterly horrendous and unexpected happened). I think it is more to the point to wonder if either or both of the grandparents are still alive.

By the way, what is a SSN?


I too believe that there is good reason to think that they are still alive. The grandparents are now in their early 70's, so most likely still alive also.

I have to admit though that the one line in something that dipahead wrote, something like "they were never heard from again", did give me chills for a moment.

I guess the Maples did send a letter or two right after they disappeared, but then no word to anyone.

I guess my earlier question about where the $$$ from the sale of the Maples' house went, is probably answered that it went to their daughters, probably to the youngest as it sounds like the sale of the house would have made her practically homeless. Otherwise I thought that maybe that $$ could have been tracked....

Yes, I believe they obtained new identities. Whether with the help of the underground or on their own. If they were really seen in Massachussetts in 1993 then they might still be here in the U.S.

Detective Anita Flagg who now works for the FBI



I must correct dynoguy88, Det. Anita Flagg has gone through FBI training. She still works for the Murfreesboro Police Dept. or the Rutherford County Sheriff (sorry I can't find my info. on that., but she works locally in TN), not for the FBI.

Thanks!

I too believe that there is good reason to think that they are still alive. The grandparents are now in their early 70's, so most likely still alive also.

I have to admit though that the one line in something that dipahead wrote, something like "they were never heard from again", did give me chills for a moment.

I guess the Maples did send a letter or two right after they disappeared, but then no word to anyone.

I guess my earlier question about where the $$$ from the sale of the Maples' house went, is probably answered that it went to their daughters, probably to the youngest as it sounds like the sale of the house would have made her practically homeless. Otherwise I thought that maybe that $$ could have been tracked....

Yes, I believe they obtained new identities. Whether with the help of the underground or on their own. If they were really seen in Massachussetts in 1993 then they might still be here in the U.S.

I imagine Sandra and Marvin may have altered their wills to leave everything to their family minus Debbie (I wonder if they thought of Michael at all?). But how can the bequests be honoured without confirmation that the Maples have died? I suppose that after a certain number of years you can be declared officially dead and your estate divided up.

I am wondering if Bobby and Kristi themselves have seen the UM segment. If so, what might they think of it? Do they feel the same way as Ms Dipahead, with their grandparents reinforcing that opinion?

If they have seen it, why don't they come forward, if only to dispute it? Perhaps they are too afraid for their grandparents. Or that their parents might do something really horrible to them.

Or maybe they are not aware of it at all. If they do find it, what will they think? What might they do?

Any ideas?

I must correct dynoguy88, Det. Anita Flagg has gone through FBI training. She still works for the Murfreesboro Police Dept. or the Rutherford County Sheriff (sorry I can't find my info. on that., but she works locally in TN), not for the FBI.

Thanks!

If Anita Flagg writes an autobiography I wonder what she will have to say on the Baskin case. According to the article she cannot escape it because the citizens of Murfreesboro are always asking her if "those kids" have been found yet. Evidently the people of Murfreesboro believe the Baskins are innocent (there may be exceptions, of course). I wonder what the people of Murfreesboro thought of the case at the time. If Baskin Snr was an upstanding citizen of the community perhaps they reacted against the Maples. In which case it is likely their unfortunate left-behind daughter was made to suffer as well. I would not be surprised if the poor girl had to leave the district.

If Anita Flagg writes an autobiography I wonder what she will have to say on the Baskin case. According to the article she cannot escape it because the citizens of Murfreesboro are always asking her if "those kids" have been found yet. Evidently the people of Murfreesboro believe the Baskins are innocent (there may be exceptions, of course). I wonder what the people of Murfreesboro thought of the case at the time. If Baskin Snr was an upstanding citizen of the community perhaps they reacted against the Maples. In which case it is likely their unfortunate left-behind daughter was made to suffer as well. I would not be surprised if the poor girl had to leave the district.

thanks for that post, informative. Additionally, I wonder what the local reaction is to Corlew. A frequent guest of my hotel is from Murfreesboro, TN, but I've never had the opportunity to ask him. Since it doesn't appear that Corlew is ever going to be reprimanded for his boneheaded decision, hopefully at least he has to put up with some local citizens lashing out at him.

I hate Corlew!

I've never really posted on this case before, and I honestly still wonder if there isn't more to it than what UM showed, but, in any event, I'm stunned these kids have not come forward. I realize they may well "forget" who they once were, but they should have SOME memories... No intellectual curiosity at all?

I am wondering if Bobby and Kristi themselves have seen the UM segment. If so, what might they think of it? Do they feel the same way as Ms Dipahead, with their grandparents reinforcing that opinion?

If they have seen it, why don't they come forward, if only to dispute it? Perhaps they are too afraid for their grandparents. Or that their parents might do something really horrible to them.

Or maybe they are not aware of it at all. If they do find it, what will they think? What might they do?

Any ideas?

Hard to say if they've seen the UM segment. They may have been raised quite isolated to keep them from having access to the television and computers and to keep them hidden. They may have never seen it and may not even know they have anyone to look for.

If they have seen it, they are probably a bit confused, but may believe their grandparents. If they have ??? they probably feel like they have to wait until Grandparents are no longer around, so that they don't go to jail. I'm sure tha the Maples have treated them well, and I'm sure Robert and Katharine love them. Kinda like some adoptees who feel like they have to wait until their adopted parents die to find their birth parents.

I've never really posted on this case before, and I honestly still wonder if there isn't more to it than what UM showed, but, in any event, I'm stunned these kids have not come forward. I realize they may well "forget" who they once were, but they should have SOME memories... No intellectual curiosity at all?

We wonder too if there's more to this case. As you can see if you read the board, we learned a bit last week!

It's hard to know why they haven't come forward. I've tried to post some info. on kids who were abducted by their parents, now as adults, what they really remember (or don't remember). It's very interesting. Frustrating too!

We wonder too if there's more to this case. As you can see if you read the board, we learned a bit last week!

Yeah, I knew as soon as I posted that that perhaps I should have read the entire Baskins thread, but I didn't feel like it. Ultimately, the case doesn't interest me that much.

I know that one of the posters who knows that Baskins say they didn't want to turn it into a media circus, and they needed to get on with their lives. I understand that, at the same time I don't understand.

I guess now that they are grown, I would probably do something like the Grandmothers in black (or whatever their title is). They go and stand outside in the plaza to bring attention to their loves ones that were taken by corrupt regime. So go stand or sit somewhere out in public until these people are found!

If the Baskins would go out and stage something like that, it wouldn't take too long for the media to pick up on it. Why are these people standing out here??? It would be on the local news, then soon the National, International, their pictures would be re-broadcast. Then someone, Bobby, Kristy, friend, co-worker, neighbor, hairdresser would recognize them and they would be found.

Is that too nutty? "My children were taken by my parents in 1989, I know they are out there somewhere and someone knows knows them and I'm going to sit here outside (fill in a place) until they are found."

Alright, I got baited into reading this entire thread. I do read the forum, crochetbuff, as should be in evidence by my posting in other threads, but I'll admit that in this case I was a little reluctant to get involved in this whole business, because 1) I ultimately don't really care that much and 2) this had somehow gotten flippin' long. I didn't realize that another person claiming to be a relative had posted, firing up the board on this case. I wondered why it was always near the top of the list.

First, I renew my standing suspiscions of anyone claiming to be directly related to a case posting on this board. From what I can see, dipahead didn't offer any verifiable new information that only a family member would know, so for all we know it's just some random internet stranger looking to have fun with the board. Many of you noted how vague most of what dipahead had to say was.

But, that said, dipahead did seem pretty passionate, so let me give her the benefit of the doubt. In which case, I don't know. Suppose the Maples genuinely believed their grandchildren were being molested based on something one of them said or something they thought they saw. If it were me, and I thought my grandchildren were being molested and the courts were not helping, I'd probably run them out of town too. The truth is, there's no way to be sure, until the kids are located.

I would say, as would said long ago in this thread by someone else, that the fact that the Baskins have not launched an all-out media blitz since the children turned 18 suggests to me they'd at this point just as soon let the matter drop. Now why exactly is that?

Alright, I got baited into reading this entire thread. I do read the forum, crochetbuff, as should be in evidence by my posting in other threads, but I'll admit that in this case I was a little reluctant to get involved in this whole business, because 1) I ultimately don't really care that much and 2) this had somehow gotten flippin' long. I didn't realize that another person claiming to be a relative had posted, firing up the board on this case. I wondered why it was always near the top of the list.

First, I renew my standing suspiscions of anyone claiming to be directly related to a case posting on this board. From what I can see, dipahead didn't offer any verifiable new information that only a family member would know, so for all we know it's just some random internet stranger looking to have fun with the board. Many of you noted how vague most of what dipahead had to say was.

But, that said, dipahead did seem pretty passionate, so let me give her the benefit of the doubt. In which case, I don't know. Suppose the Maples genuinely believed their grandchildren were being molested based on something one of them said or something they thought they saw. If it were me, and I thought my grandchildren were being molested and the courts were not helping, I'd probably run them out of town too. The truth is, there's no way to be sure, until the kids are located.

I would say, as would said long ago in this thread by someone else, that the fact that the Baskins have not launched an all-out media blitz since the children turned 18 suggests to me they'd at this point just as soon let the matter drop. Now why exactly is that?

Oh, I didn't mean my "if you read the board" to be accusatory! I just meant, that I wasn't sure if you had gone back and read the soap opera that was last week...! There's A LOT to read on this thread... Glad we roped you in though;)

Yes, it puzzles me to about not getting it out somewhere again in the media (other than UM). There are 2 posters here who say they know the Baskins and they say that the Baskins are still looking, think about it everyday and all. I don't doubt they still love their children and would like to find them. Maybe it's just too hard to keep brining it up? Or what exactly would you do with a 25 & 26 year old if they were to return after 17 years?!

And it doesn't have to be a "media circus" even though my one post about stageing something is kinda radical. It could just be one media outlet. Dateline, Nancy Grace, something that would take it National and possibly International.

Oh, I didn't mean my "if you read the board" to be accusatory! I just meant, that I wasn't sure if you had gone back and read the soap opera that was last week...! There's A LOT to read on this thread... Glad we roped you in though;)

Fair enough. Sorry I took it as such.

Yes, it puzzles me to about not getting it out somewhere again in the media (other than UM). There are 2 posters here who say they know the Baskins and they say that the Baskins are still looking, think about it everyday and all. I don't doubt they still love their children and would like to find them. Maybe it's just too hard to keep brining it up? Or what exactly would you do with a 25 & 26 year old if they were to return after 17 years?!

And it doesn't have to be a "media circus" even though my one post about stageing something is kinda radical. It could just be one media outlet. Dateline, Nancy Grace, something that would take it National and possibly International.

Right, this is what I was imagining. There are 4 24 hour news networks, always need of programming, and countless daytime television shows looking for compelling real-life stories. The Baskins have an absolute legal right to finding their children, even if they are past the age of custody. If it were my kids and I was 100% convinced I was in the right and had been wronged for all these years, I'd be all over every talk show I could get on until they were found. I'd know, too, that I could get on a talk show, because of my previous appearance on Unsolved Mysteries.

I find it very, very strange that they don't do this.

Also, these children, they were, what, eight and nine years old at the time they were taken? While that isn't that old, it's old enough to start forming definite personalities and preferences. These kids spent the majority of their time between the ages of 8-9 for the older one and 7-8 for the younger one in the company of their grandparents, after spending more time with their parents before that. Did it ever occur to anyone that the children, for reasons perhaps having nothing to do with molestation or physical abuse, simply prefer living with their grandparents, and expressed as much to them? Maybe the Baskins, being a young couple with money struggles, fought a lot, and the Maples, an older, more established couple, kept a stabler, less confrontational home. Maybe these children liked that. True, it doesn't give the Maples legal right to run off with them, but imagine if you had spent a year or more basically raising two little children, who, on the eve of their being returned to their parents, insisted to you that they preferred you and your home to where they were going. Doesn't that break your heart? Doesn't that tempt you to give the children what they want?

I highly doubt these kids are dead, as some have speculated, and from the update on UM it seems that the Maples were providing them with a loving and stable home, in circumstance quite possibly more affluent than the Baskins could provide. How worked up can I get, especially since their own parents, now that there is nothing to stop them from at least reuniting with the kids on a "we're in contact with each other level," don't do whatever it takes to make that connection?

I was wondering if there were any way to offer the Maples some sort of amnesty so that Robert & Katharine could contact their family without worrying about Marvin & Sandra being arrested.

Maybe there isn't a way to do that, maybe it's not a good idea. It might set some sort of precedent for other cases. Basically the Maples aren't a danger to anyone.

I don't know how you'd get the word out to them other than mass media.
Just a thought.

OMG! This is one of those segments I never seen until yesterday! I'm completely outraged! Obviously no updates, from what I've gathered here on the board, but I'm very surprised. They were so close.....the update saying that they were spotted in California and all. It never says whether the mother had a good relationship with her own mother----was this unexpected? Why not take your own children back when granny starts getting freaky (i.e. the dining room scene)???? Crazy, sad case. Boggles my mind.
:mad: :confused: :(

My husband came to bed last night (after I watched it) and I was deep in sleep and he tried rolling me off his side of the bed and I said "They found Kristi and Bobby". He said, "What the hell?" I was dreaming LOL!

Is there anyway we can submit this to Nancy Grace or some show like that?

OMG! This is one of those segments I never seen until yesterday! I'm completely outraged! Obviously no updates, from what I've gathered here on the board, but I'm very surprised. They were so close.....the update saying that they were spotted in California and all. It never says whether the mother had a good relationship with her own mother----was this unexpected? Why not take your own children back when granny starts getting freaky (i.e. the dining room scene)???? Crazy, sad case. Boggles my mind.
:mad: :confused: :(

My husband came to bed last night (after I watched it) and I was deep in sleep and he tried rolling me off his side of the bed and I said "They found Kristi and Bobby". He said, "What the hell?" I was dreaming LOL!

Is there anyway we can submit this to Nancy Grace or some show like that?

Welcome to this thread!

There was a 2nd update to the segment, where they were possibly spotted in Peabody, MA in 1993.

Yes, we are boggled too!

It's probably up the family to try to get things in the media again. Although a link the U.M. segment could be e-mailed to media outlets I guess and IF someone actually watched it and it got them interested in looking into it, that would be a possiblity. The clip is out there for anyone to find, so it's not like it's illegal to forward it to people.

If this case was widely publicized such as the cases of so many others are, surely the kids would see pictures of themselves or others would come forward! They were old enough to have memories of their parents. Were they brainwashed.....killed? My mind can't grasp it......... it's so crazy!

thanks for that post, informative. Additionally, I wonder what the local reaction is to Corlew. A frequent guest of my hotel is from Murfreesboro, TN, but I've never had the opportunity to ask him. Since it doesn't appear that Corlew is ever going to be reprimanded for his boneheaded decision, hopefully at least he has to put up with some local citizens lashing out at him.

I hate Corlew!

Next time you see him, perhaps you could ask if he's ever heard of a Judge Corlew and see what the reaction is? I would imagine your guest would have heard of the Baskin case. Anita Flagg she can't go anywhere in Murfreesboro without someone inquiring if the kids have been found.

I watched what I think it was Part 3 of the UM segment again last night. The one that includes the Massachussetts update. One thing I caught was that while the Maples were in Santa Clara, CA, they they were passing themselves off as the parents of the two kids, at the time calling them Robbie and Robyn.

Marvin might have looked a bit too old, but Sandra was pretty young looking, both in their 50's at the time.

So the kids might have grown up forgetting these were their grandparents and thinking of them as their parents. Who knows what really happens in the minds of children taken and having their lives manipulated like this.

can i have the myspace? thanks

can i have the myspace? thanks

It seems mysteriously that the myspace that I had for one of the Granddaughters has been made private in the last couple of days. There wasn't any info. there anyway.

Oh, if you wanted the YouTube link, just google, for Baskin missing children or something like that and it will come up eventually.

hi im new to the thread allso. me and my twin are so interested in this case.it just doesnt make any sense. on dipaheads myspace she doesnt talk about the missing children and she has pics up too that look like the children but a tad bit older.
im not trying to call out dipahead, but at the same time she only gives us a little info when i think she knows more. i live in santa clara now and i cant beleive they once lived here. in my opinion, i think some of the maples know or has some inkling of where they are and not saying anything. if this was my family i would make it into the hugest media circus youd ever seen so, i can find my children. just my opnion. i love this website.

thanks so much!!!!
you made alot of sense on here.!!!!

hi im new to the thread allso. me and my twin are so interested in this case.it just doesnt make any sense. on dipaheads myspace she doesnt talk about the missing children and she has pics up too that look like the children but a tad bit older.
im not trying to call out dipahead, but at the same time she only gives us a little info when i think she knows more. i live in santa clara now and i cant beleive they once lived here. in my opinion, i think some of the maples know or has some inkling of where they are and not saying anything. if this was my family i would make it into the hugest media circus youd ever seen so, i can find my children. just my opnion. i love this website.

Welcome to the board!

If you found dipahead's myspace, I think those photos are of her children when they were younger. They might have some slight resemblance to Robby and Kristy as they are related, what 2nd cousins or something...

She does claim to have told us what she knows, and maybe that is it. Who knows!

After a lot of thought about it (and several posts), I agree about the media circus! Maybe just a one ring one, but definately, for me, I would do something now that they are 25 and 26 years old (soon to be 26 & 27).

Even with finding them now, it's not like they would be back with their family like they would have been when they were say 11 & 12 years old or something. It would be more like an adoptee finding their birth parents, just hoping to be able to have some sort of relationship.

This is probably neither here nor there...

With the names in Santa Clara - Robbie and Robyn, were the Maples passing the kids off as twins? Or is that just my feeling. It probably doesn't really matter too much, except it might possibly confuse someone on the kids ages.
Lots of families use names with starting with the same letter for their kids, but robbie and robyn... Almost the same name like you might do with twins.

I found a very lengthy and interesting article online today.

It's at:
http://www.dartcenter.org/dartaward/1998/winner/toc.html

Especially Part 6 "How to Disappear.... " about halfway down the page it talks about white notebooks that Faye would use;

"And then there are the white notebooks - Yager's calling card. Each mother or father must provide copies of key documents - medical records, police reports, custody orders - plus a written summary of the events leading to her or his decision to go underground.

The material is placed in a three-ringed notebook covered with white plastic, with a photograph of the fleeing parent and children attached to the cover. Yager mails them to missing children's organizations and federal and local law enforcement agencies around the country, as a way of letting them know that this is one of her cases. "

How weird is that? So, I don't know what year she started using the notebooks. There are other articles where she says that early on she didn't document things all that well... I know we don't know all the details of this case, and that the FBI and TN authorities have more info., but I wonder if they go a "white notebook" mailed to them?

If you have a chance to read the entire article (each chapter) it is very eye-opening.

I'm not saying that the Maples used Faye Yager's underground. There are others, or they may have disappeared all on their own. Either way, this gives some insight into the process.

Several suggestions for Debbie, Mark and Michael:

1. Set up a website for Bobby and Kristi. A good model is the website set up for Nadia Muhsen (I don't have the URL with me). In 1980 Nadia and her sister Zana were tricked into going to the Yemen for a holiday; in fact their father had sold them into forced marriages. Zana escaped after 8 years but Nadia remains trapped. Her family have tried everything they can think of to get her out, but the only person who can do so is the father who originally sold them off and he, of course, is showing no inclination of doing so.

The website for Nadia is all black (it will change to white if she ever returns home). It has a facility for visitors to light a candle for Nadia and you even have a choice of which candle you want to light. I find it very positive lighting a candle for Nadia. At least I can feel I am doing something for Nadia. At last count Nadia had 2008 candles. If we could light candles for Bobby and Kristi at least we would feel we were doing something more constructive than helplessly ranting, sympathising and speculating on this blog. And lighting candles will be doing something positive for this case.

2. A media campaign, media circus or not. This investigation needs fresh blood. It is stalled because there are no fresh leads. A media campaign may throw up something new.

3. Make use of another crime-fighting programme such as "America's Most Wanted". Nobody watches the UM segment now unless they buy the DVDs. AMW on the other hand is ongoing and loads of Americans watch it. A new reconstruction may be required if the UM version cannot be used. Anyway, if, as Dipahead says, the UM segment is not 100% accurate, this is the chance to rectify this as far as possible.

4. Co-ordinate the media campaign and website so viewers are free to go to the website and add more candles!

5. Have the Baskins explored every single avenue for finding kidnapped children? Are there avenues, new organisations they have not thought of?

yes i totally agree. i know, they do have a slight resemblance. this case is just so strange. i would think someone knows something, like one of the maples family members. i think maybe that their all back together now and not saying anything. who knows. i just dont understand..... why is um off the air anyways..? and why havent they done any up dates?



Welcome to the board!

If you found dipahead's myspace, I think those photos are of her children when they were younger. They might have some slight resemblance to Robby and Kristy as they are related, what 2nd cousins or something...

She does claim to have told us what she knows, and maybe that is it. Who knows!

After a lot of thought about it (and several posts), I agree about the media circus! Maybe just a one ring one, but definately, for me, I would do something now that they are 25 and 26 years old (soon to be 26 & 27).

Even with finding them now, it's not like they would be back with their family like they would have been when they were say 11 & 12 years old or something. It would be more like an adoptee finding their birth parents, just hoping to be able to have some sort of relationship.

yes i totally agree. i know, they do have a slight resemblance. this case is just so strange. i would think someone knows something, like one of the maples family members. i think maybe that their all back together now and not saying anything. who knows. i just dont understand..... why is um off the air anyways..? and why havent they done any up dates?

U.M just recently stopped running on LIFETIME. There is a segment out there (although I was sick and didn't get a tape of it) on a show called "Missing". I don't know if it's the UM segment, or their own. Did any of you see it? You can search for it online and find when the Baskin segment airs near you. It's on here at like 5am.

U.M. has been out of production for so long that I'm surprised they've done the updates that they have. As far as the Baskins, I don't think there have been anymore sightings after 1993.

http://www.usamissing.com/findus.htm

This is the link to the "Missing" program. You can find where it airs near you. Otherwise it's a USA Network program. I don't think it airs on USA anymore though. Or maybe it's not a USA network program, just called "USA Missing"...

I wonder what will happen when Sandra and/or Marvin are on their deathbeds? This is the time to appraise your life and your very last chance to clear your conscience. In fact, if there is something on your conscience it will be the most acute because of what might await you in the great beyond.

So what might happen when the time comes for Sandra and/or Marvin?

Who says it hasn't happened yet? Did Dipahead confirm that both Marvin and Sandra were still amongst the living?

dipahead claimed that the Maples charged both the Baskins and his father for the molesting. I don't know if that's true, but I just realized that would be pretty crafty (crafty being a bad version of clever) if it were true: The Maples, by claiming that both the parents and his father did this, would have increased the odds slightly in their favor of getting the children because placing the kids with a set of grandparents would be the most likely option, and the judge probably wouldn't have placed them with Mark's parents due to the claims. Although I still think Corlew's decision was boneheaded. BTW, people molesting their own children/grandchilren is extremely rare I believe, moreover when 3 of them do it. Not very likely.

Ok...without doing any harm to other family members:

1) Marvin is my Uncle. My mother is his sister.

That being said:

2) Debbie was never accused of molesting her children. Mark and his FATHER were accused by Bobby and Kristi.

3) Marvin and Sandra Maple were Bobby and Kristi's legal guardians, in case of a medical emergency while in Marvin and Sandra's care, before any accusations were ever made, since Mark and Debbie were to be living in another state with Michael.

4) Mark's father (the other accused) was a very influential man, one of the "good ole boys", to quote crochetbuff, within Murfreesboro.

5) NONE of Marvin's side of the family has ANY idea where they are; they have not been heard from...and EVERY immediate family member was interviewed by the FBI immediately following their disappearance.

6) One of the Maples 3 daughters was still living at home when all of this went down. She had no idea that she would come home from school one day to find her parents and niece and nephew gone, and have no idea that she would very possibly never see them again.

7) Every one of Marvin's siblings contacted Unsolved Mysteries so that the facts as they knew them could be heard...Unsolved Mysteries refused to talk to any of them, telling them that "we already have our story".

8) The house shown in Unsolved Mysteries, the one with the "for sale" sign in front of it, was not the Maple home.

9) Many months before Kristi and Bobby moved in and before any of the accusations were made, Sandra had written several letters to Marvin's mother (my grandmother) saying that they had already raised their children and really didn't want to take care of Bobby and Kristi...but they were doing it because Debbie and Mark needed their help.

Now...I HOPE that the person who found Robert Baskin on MySpace, and requested him as a friend, does NOT have any intention of questioning him, or telling him things. If it truly is him, let the legal system do what they need do do (assuming they can get at least one part of this right); he doesn't need to hear half baked stories from people who know nothing other than what they've heard from the twisted media. If it is him, I'm sure that Mark and Debbie will find out soon enough.

I hope this satisfies all of you, because I have nothing else to add.

Once again, you apparently failed to read. It is because of people like you that rumors get started, stories get blown completely blown out of proportion. And you people wonder why this has made me so mad. I had no intention of posting anything else on here, but this statement of yours WILL be cleared up before I go.

dipahead claimed that the Maples charged both the Baskins and his father for the molesting. I don't know if that's true, but I just realized that would be pretty crafty (crafty being a bad version of clever) if it were true: The Maples, by claiming that both the parents and his father did this, would have increased the odds slightly in their favor of getting the children because placing the kids with a set of grandparents would be the most likely option, and the judge probably wouldn't have placed them with Mark's parents due to the claims. Although I still think Corlew's decision was boneheaded. BTW, people molesting their own children/grandchilren is extremely rare I believe, moreover when 3 of them do it. Not very likely..

I SAID that Debbie was not accused. Not. N O T.

not [not] adverb

(often abbreviated to n't) a word used for denying, forbidding, refusing, or expressing the opposite of something.

Dude, if you're going to spend all of your life (which is apparently what you do) picking apart trumped up media garbage, then at LEAST get your quotes right! Have a nice life :)

Once again, you apparently failed to read. It is because of people like you that rumors get started, stories get blown completely blown out of proportion. And you people wonder why this has made me so mad. I had no intention of posting anything else on here, but this statement of yours WILL be cleared up before I go.



I SAID that Debbie was not accused. Not. N O T.

not [not] adverb

(often abbreviated to n't) a word used for denying, forbidding, refusing, or expressing the opposite of something.

Dude, if you're going to spend all of your life (which is apparently what you do) picking apart trumped up media garbage, then at LEAST get your quotes right! Have a nice life :)


sorry dipahead but i think the maples family helped them out a long time ago.
i just dont beleive no one knows where they are. you say your mom is close to her brother right, so, im sure she still has contact with them. and if the allegations were true about debbie and mark molesting the kids then why were they able to adopt again. why wont your family go on t.v. to help find them. im sure they would be found hella quick. their older now. i think mark and debbie have suffered enough. its time to bring them home.
ps: when this whole thing started of course the family is going to wonder if its true, but it wasnt, obviously, because they found no evidence. so, what the maples did was down right nasty...

Who says it hasn't happened yet? Did Dipahead confirm that both Marvin and Sandra were still amongst the living?


She stated that none of her family knew where they were or had heard anything from them since 1989. So if that's the case, they wouldn't know if Marvin and Sandra were still living or not.

Very sad all around, as I'm sure Marvin's siblings, Sandra's siblings and their children would very much like to see them before one or the other passes on.

Once again, you apparently failed to read. It is because of people like you that rumors get started, stories get blown completely blown out of proportion. And you people wonder why this has made me so mad. I had no intention of posting anything else on here, but this statement of yours WILL be cleared up before I go.


As far as "stories get blown completely blown out of proportion", maybe we are helping that, maybe not. Yes, people mis-read stuff. This story already had HUGE PROPORTION. 4 people have been missing for 17 YEARS! Some of the circumstances surrounding the onset of this case almost hardly matter anymore. Two whole extended families have been kept from seeing their loved ones for 17 years!

I know that to even begin to consider that previously beloved, loving, reasonable, stable, well thought of relatives could have brought false charges against people would be thought of as a breach of loyalty in a family. So family members have to believe that Marvin and Sandra had good reason to do what they did, or they are being disloyal to their family and siding with the Baskin family, which except for Debbie and the kids are not blood relations. So in that regard, I understand Dipahead's, uh frustration with us.

On the other hand, has any of the family considered some of the kinds of things that we here are writing. Or is everything the Baskin's have been able to since do, like adopting a child and teaching in schools, just cause of Mark Baskin's Father and his "good ol' boy" network? Can you even entertain the thought that Marvin and Sandra were wrong?

Again, maybe the Maples should be offered some sort of "amnesty" to come forward with the "kids" or let the whereabouts of the "kids" be known. Like Dr. Phil (sorry) sometimes says, "do you want to be happy or do you want to be right?" Meaning is getting some contact with Robert and Katharine important or is prosecuting Marvin and Sandra?

Once again, you apparently failed to read. It is because of people like you that rumors get started, stories get blown completely blown out of proportion. And you people wonder why this has made me so mad. I had no intention of posting anything else on here, but this statement of yours WILL be cleared up before I go.



I SAID that Debbie was not accused. Not. N O T.

not [not] adverb

(often abbreviated to n't) a word used for denying, forbidding, refusing, or expressing the opposite of something.

Dude, if you're going to spend all of your life (which is apparently what you do) picking apart trumped up media garbage, then at LEAST get your quotes right! Have a nice life :)

I failed to read huh? Well I've been reading for over 20 years, so highly unlikely. I'm not going to pay any attention to your posts from now on, but YOU'RE STATEMENT WILL BE CLEARED UP BEFORE I GO.

If Debbie wasn't accused, why wasn't she given custody? Care to answer that one, hmmm?

oh, and p.s., since you don't know me and have never met me, stop making asssumptions about my life.

crochetbuff, stop making excuses for the Maples

To everyone: this thread has ballooned up to 24 pages, the longest thread in the history of this forum that I am aware of. Personally, I think we need to consider whether or not we want to continue, I don't think we can say anything about this subject that hasn't already been said. Furthermore, I would recommend that everyone ignore this dipahead person. They have extremely irritated me, and they are not really contributing anything to this forum.

I am retiring from this thread permanently.

i totally agree. if this dipahead person truely cares for the children she would do what ever it takes to find them. why on her myspace doesnt she even mention the children. i think its because she knows something... hopefully by this thread being this long will atleast help in someway or let us vent from frustration.





crochetbuff, stop making excuses for the Maples

To everyone: this thread has ballooned up to 24 pages, the longest thread in the history of this forum that I am aware of. Personally, I think we need to consider whether or not we want to continue, I don't think we can say anything about this subject that hasn't already been said. Furthermore, I would recommend that everyone ignore this dipahead person. They have extremely irritated me, and they are not really contributing anything to this forum.

I am retiring from this thread permanently.

crochetbuff, stop making excuses for the Maples

To everyone: this thread has ballooned up to 24 pages, the longest thread in the history of this forum that I am aware of. Personally, I think we need to consider whether or not we want to continue, I don't think we can say anything about this subject that hasn't already been said. Furthermore, I would recommend that everyone ignore this dipahead person. They have extremely irritated me, and they are not really contributing anything to this forum.

I am retiring from this thread permanently.

I'm not making excuses for the Maples. I'm trying to see both sides, and trying to possibly make this a place where we can all post and not be attacked. Make it more welcoming for people related to the case to come in and post and feel like someone might possibly understand what it must be like to be in the middle of this mess.

You can retire from this, that's your choice. It's ballooned into a long thread because some people are interested in it and there's actually been input from someone related to the case (although a bit distantly). And though she is defensive at times, we can possibly learn a bit more about what happened. Attacking her just makes her more defensive.

Oh, and I'm happy this thread has gotten this long. It's up there on the top of the UM board everyday lately. Thus, a few more people might stop by and the more people see this case, the more it gets out there. Even though this isn't the "websleuths" board, someone out there knows something...

And wiseguy, when I said "Yes, people mis-read stuff" I wasn't meaning that to offend you, as dipahead was getting on you for that... I just meant it happens, it's not the end of the world. We aren't working with photographic memories here (at least I'm not).

crochetbuff, stop making excuses for the Maples

To everyone: this thread has ballooned up to 24 pages, the longest thread in the history of this forum that I am aware of. Personally, I think we need to consider whether or not we want to continue, I don't think we can say anything about this subject that hasn't already been said. Furthermore, I would recommend that everyone ignore this dipahead person. They have extremely irritated me, and they are not really contributing anything to this forum.

I am retiring from this thread permanently.

The King has spoken! LMAO!
Oh, and missysmama25...hmmm...........not sure what to say about you. You assume a hell of a lot. You are basically calling me a liar, and I REALLY don't appreciate that. Kristy and Bobby are not "children" anymore, and since I believe wholeheartedly that they are alive and well, I will not do anything to throw their lives into turmoil. They will come forward when and if they are ready. So you can take your opinions and stuff them up your......well, you get the picture.

Hey Dipahead...

Instead of being on the offensive and jumping down the throats of people who just happen to disagree with your opinion-- why don't you make a wholehearted effort to ENLIGHTEN us, rather than ENRAGE us?

Honestly... it seems to me, from the limited amount that you have written, that YOU don't have a really good idea of what happened, either. So instead of telling people that they "assume a hell of a lot," why don't you apply some of that own judgment to yourself, hmmm?

Just sayin'.

P.S. And while I echo crochetbuff's sentiments about getting this case "out there," I also understand where Wiseguy is coming from. Dipahead isn't really offering us anything, other than the opinion that "none of us know what we're talking about." Okay, fair enough. As I said, I don't think Dipahead knows what they are talking about, either. If she did, she would make an effort to answer several of the questions that I, along with other members of the boards, have asked. Instead of providing answers, Dipahead, much like "joshmoe," has only maintained that the Maples are innocent, without providing anything of REAL substance to back up these claims. (...and I look forward to what you have to say about this, Dipahead. I really do. But since you haven't answered any of my earlier questions, I'll just assume that you will ignore my points as usual.)

Hey Dipahead...

Instead of being on the offensive and jumping down the throats of people who just happen to disagree with your opinion-- why don't you make a wholehearted effort to ENLIGHTEN us, rather than ENRAGE us?

Honestly... it seems to me, from the limited amount that you have written, that YOU don't have a really good idea of what happened, either. So instead of telling people that they "assume a hell of a lot," why don't you apply some of that own judgment to yourself, hmmm?

Just sayin'.

P.S. And while I echo crochetbuff's sentiments about getting this case "out there," I also understand where Wiseguy is coming from. Dipahead isn't really offering us anything, other than the opinion that "none of us know what we're talking about." Okay, fair enough. As I said, I don't think Dipahead knows what they are talking about, either. If she did, she would make an effort to answer several of the questions that I, along with other members of the boards, have asked. Instead of providing answers, Dipahead, much like "joshmoe," has only maintained that the Maples are innocent, without providing anything of REAL substance to back up these claims. (...and I look forward to what you have to say about this, Dipahead. I really do. But since you haven't answered any of my earlier questions, I'll just assume that you will ignore my points as usual.)

But I did tell you what I know. I can't elaborate because I don't know more than what I've told you...I said that from the very beginning, but have been accused of knowing more than I'm telling. I've said on more than one occasion that I didn't know more than that. I also apologized for not knowing more than that...and STILL got blasted for not sharing more. So whatever. Be as enraged as you want, I can't offer more than I know.

dipahead, i know they are adults now but, its like your just sitting there and thinking that everyone should just leave everything alone and when they think the times right theyll come forward. i just dont understand that. i think the reason your family, the maples, are wanting to leave everything alone is cause you know something or they do. but, what ever. you give us half baked answers and were all left wandering....
i feel so bad for debbie and mark. not the maples. this is my opinion and take it or leave it.
ps: grow up, you stick it where the sun dont shine!
instead of being on the net and bashing people, go out and find katherine and robert!

peace





The King has spoken! LMAO!
Oh, and missysmama25...hmmm...........not sure what to say about you. You assume a hell of a lot. You are basically calling me a liar, and I REALLY don't appreciate that. Kristy and Bobby are not "children" anymore, and since I believe wholeheartedly that they are alive and well, I will not do anything to throw their lives into turmoil. They will come forward when and if they are ready. So you can take your opinions and stuff them up your......well, you get the picture.

The King has spoken! LMAO!
Oh, and missysmama25...hmmm...........not sure what to say about you. You assume a hell of a lot. You are basically calling me a liar, and I REALLY don't appreciate that. Kristy and Bobby are not "children" anymore, and since I believe wholeheartedly that they are alive and well, I will not do anything to throw their lives into turmoil. They will come forward when and if they are ready. So you can take your opinions and stuff them up your......well, you get the picture.

I mainly wanted to comment on the "they are not children anymore" part of this post. Yes they are grown, I just fear that Kristy and Bobby may not even remember that they were taken or know that they were.

As weird as that sounds, they may not be informed until they come across info. when the Maples pass away (if they come across any info. at all). That's the part that bothers me. Many children taken away at the ages they were, are told that their parents/family had an accident and died, so they don't even know to look for them. We think everyone will live forever to see the end of this, but everyone involved is aging.

Kristy and Bobby are not "children" anymore, and since I believe wholeheartedly that they are alive and well, I will not do anything to throw their lives into turmoil. They will come forward when and if they are ready.

I totally understand why you feel the way you do. But what if - just what if - what the Maples claim is not true? What if they did take the children for reasons we all do not understand? I know many many times there have been claims of child abuse that were misunderstood or just plain wrong. Or maybe the Maples truly thought they were being harmed, I don't know.

I'm not asking you to believe that the Maples were evil people who kidnapped their grandchildren out of selfish desires. I'm just saying what if what you've been told may not have been handed down the line correctly or maybe the accusations were misunderstandings? Many times things are not how we percieve them - even for siblings or parents. Many times the ones closest are the ones deceived the most - and for very understandable reasons. Either way, none of us know what happened - only the Maples, the Baskins, and God know. I have my reasons for believing the way I do and you have yours - both very valid reasons.

But, for the sake of argument, what if the Maples were correct and the claims you have stated are true and the Maples took Bobby and Christi to keep them from a life of pain at the hands of Mark and his father. As a mother, do you not think that Sandra would want them, as adults, to at least contact their mother to let them know they are alright? Wouldn't her heart break for Debbie, her own daughter, that she had to take those children away from her when Debbie had done nothing wrong? Why not encourage them to call their mom and brother (brothers now) and let them know they are OK? Just a brief call or note? That shouldn't rock Christi's and Bobby's world unless Sandra and Marvin have made up stories about Debbie and Mark. Right?

And I will throw this in there just for the record - many times children can be lead to truly believe certain events happened - called "false memories" - when told stories that did not occur over and over. This may be the case for Christi and Bobby. Again it may be a case of the Maples really thinking the children were molested but when you question a child a certain way, it is *very* easy to lead their stories into something they weren't....even unintentionally.

I totally understand why you feel the way you do. But what if - just what if - what the Maples claim is not true? What if they did take the children for reasons we all do not understand? I know many many times there have been claims that were misunderstood or just plain wrong. And maybe the Maples truly thought they were being harmed, I don't know.

I'm not asking you to believe that the Maples were evil people who kidnapped their grandchildren out of selfish desires. I'm just saying what if what you've been told may not have been handed down the line correctly or maybe the accusations were misunderstandings? Many times things are not how we percieve them - even for siblings or parents. Many times the ones closest are the ones deceived the most - and for very understandable reasons. Either way, none of us know what happened - only the Maples, the Baskins, and God know. I have my reasons for believing the way I do and you have yours - both very valid reasons.

But, for the sake of argument, what if the Maples were correct and the claims you have stated are true and the Maples took Bobby and Kristi to keep them from a life of pain at the hands of Mark and his father. As a mother, do you not think that Sandra would want them, as adults, to at least contact their mother to let them know they are alright? Wouldn't her heart break for Debbie, her own daughter, that she had to take those children away from her when Debbie had done nothing wrong? Why not encourage them to call their mom and brother (brothers now) and let them know they are OK? Just a brief call or note? That shouldn't rock Kristi's and Bobby's world unless Sandra and Marvin have made up stories about Debbie and Mark. Right?

And I will throw this in there just for the record - many times children can be lead to truly believe certain events happened - called "false memories" - when told stories that did not occur over and over. This may be the case for Kristi and Bobby. Again it may be a case of the Maples really thinking the children were molested but when you question a child a certain way, it is *very* easy to lead their stories into something they weren't....even unintentionally.

And what about Michael, Ms Dipahead? Don't you or Sandra think that Michael would want to see his brother and sister and they would want to see him? What's more, if Sandra was concerned that Mark and his father were harming Bobby and Kristi, shouldn't she share the same concern for Michael? For that matter, shouldn't anyone in your family have the same concerns for Michael or the boy the Baskins have adopted? Is nobody in your family worried about making moves to protect them?

The King has spoken! LMAO!
Kristy and Bobby are not "children" anymore, and since I believe wholeheartedly that they are alive and well, I will not do anything to throw their lives into turmoil. They will come forward when and if they are ready.

My belief is that the "kids" deserve the right to come forward, hear both sides of the story, view the police files, talk to those involved and make a decision on their own as adults about who they want to have contact with, where they want to live. So far HUGE decisions about their life have been made by adults

IF they know they were taken, I hope they do some research on their own and decide to come forward. IF they don't know or remember they were taken, then I hope someone lets them know, so that they can take control of their lives.

Either way, they need some serious counseling that they probably haven't been able to get on the run. Whether abused or not, their lives have been changed, manipulated and seriously dysfunctional.

DIPAHEAD,

I HOPE YOU DO RESPOND WITH ACTUAL ANSWERS, AND STOP BEATING AROUND THE BUSH. ITS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT FOR 17 YEARS NO ONE HAS HEARD FROM THEM.IF YOUR MOTHER IS MARVINS SISTER, THEN IM SURE SOMETHING HAS BEEN MENTIONED.I TRULEY FEEL FOR THE BASKINS. IF THE RUMORS WERE TRUE THEN HOW WERE THEY ABLE TO ADOPT? THESE POOR KIDS HAVE BEEN FED ALOT OF LIES AND HOPEFULLY ONE DAY THEY WILL REMEMBER THAT THEY HAD A MOTHER AND FATHER WHO LOVED THEM.

crochetbuff, stop making excuses for the Maples

To everyone: this thread has ballooned up to 24 pages, the longest thread in the history of this forum that I am aware of. Personally, I think we need to consider whether or not we want to continue, I don't think we can say anything about this subject that hasn't already been said. Furthermore, I would recommend that everyone ignore this dipahead person. They have extremely irritated me, and they are not really contributing anything to this forum.

I am retiring from this thread permanently.


I agree wiseguy. Maybe this dipahead is just trying to get rise out of people. There's no way to know for sure they are who they say they are.

Hi all, this is my first post and I have one thing to say:
I would like to see a show of hands from anyone here who has been personally involved in this missing persons case. Does any one of you know the Baskins or Maples? Did you talk to any family members? Did you speak with the investigators? From what I gather, not one of you, other than Dipahead, knows anything more than what you've watched on TV. I can't believe the way you all jump all over Dipahead, claiming she knows more than what she's telling you. Do any of you know her personally? I'd truly love to hear back from any of you who has something real and concrete to say about this case! Not just hearsay, but real facts! And I'm sure you've all heard the saying, "things aren't always what they seem". Sick people get away with child abuse and molestation every single day. Maybe you guys should call Debbie or Mark and ask them what REALLY happened to those two beautiful kids...you know, the ones that they allowed to be treated so horribly! Ask them, I'm sure they would LOVE to tell you allllll about it! Ask them about the vasaline incident!!! Ask them why the kids went to their loving grandparents, the Maples! Marvin and Sandra saved those kids from a life of sick, twisted, warped hell! Good day to you all!

Oh boy... here we go again. :rolleyes:

Well this thread will now be locked. Its just resorting to a lot of arguing and namecalling. 99% of the posters on here are in 100% support of the Baskins and feel sympathy for what they've been through however the other 1% have turned this into a non-productive thread and I'm not letting the arguing continue.