Non-UM preventable child abductions

[dks64]

I was browsing through The Doe Network (looking for more info on Clifford Sherwood, who was featured on UM) and found a few cases that really bothered me. Kids who were abducted whose disappearances could have so easily been prevented, where the parents/guardian was negligent.

Harpreet Paul (1 month old) stuck out in my head the most. Her parents left her alone in a parked car, sleeping, with the windows rolled down and doors unlocked while they went into a mall for 30 minutes.

Alisha Smiley (3) was left unattended with her 4 year old cousin in a hotel while her aunt went to buy wrestling tickets.

Yusef Bell was one of the children from the Atlanta murders who was 9 when sent alone to the store to buy snuff for a neighbor.


Any stories stick out in your mind?

[WishfulDreamer]

Oh, that is just awful! I mean, I understand they kept the windows rolled down for air, but I would never leave a small child alone in an unlocked car! (I wouldn't want to leave them in the car at all). The hotel one, too. Were they left in the room or in the lobby, just out of curiosity? That definitely reminds me of the port-a-potty story on UM; honestly, she should have just waited a few more minutes to leave the children with her mother. I feel bad for all of these parents, I honestly do, but they should have done otherwise.

The nine-year-old story is a little different for me. I used to walk to the store around that age (usually with a friend) but I was permitted to go within a couple of blocks. But I'm sure if there had been a murderer on the loose killing children or it had been nighttime, it would never have been permitted!

[UMFaninMD]

The main one that stands out for me was the murder of Sherrice Iverson in 1997. She was the seven year-old that was playing alone in a casino arcade while her father gambled. Security warned him that his daughter was alone and even though her older brother did come and get her, she returned to the arcade. She met up with two teenagers and started playing hide and seek with them. She ran into a bathroom and one of the men followed her and he ended up raping and killing her while the stood outside the door. The two men, David Cash and Jeremy Strohmeyer, bragged about the killing to school friends and they called police.

At the time this happened, casinos in out west were trying to bring in more families because they were getting flak for being too adult. Then after the murder, they got flak for trying to make their places too family friendly. The father got his share of criticism too for not only bringing his underage children to a casino, but gambling at almost four in the morning and allowing his children to be up at that hour. Even the killers were under 21.

[dks64]

Originally Posted by WishfulDreamer

Oh, that is just awful! I mean, I understand they kept the windows rolled down for air, but I would never leave a small child alone in an unlocked car! (I wouldn't want to leave them in the car at all). The hotel one, too. Were they left in the room or in the lobby, just out of curiosity? That definitely reminds me of the port-a-potty story on UM; honestly, she should have just waited a few more minutes to leave the children with her mother. I feel bad for all of these parents, I honestly do, but they should have done otherwise.

The nine-year-old story is a little different for me. I used to walk to the store around that age (usually with a friend) but I was permitted to go within a couple of blocks. But I'm sure if there had been a murderer on the loose killing children or it had been nighttime, it would never have been permitted!

It boggles my mind how any parent could leave their child unattended like that. Especially a 1 month old. I wouldn't leave a child unattended in my own driveway for 5 minutes, let alone 30 in a mall parking lot.

In regards to Alisha, The Doe site has it listed as she was inside the hotel, The Charley Project says she was outside (both say on a bench).

"She was last seen at 1:45 p.m. on a bench inside the Omni Hotel located on Techwood Drive near the downtown athletic club."

When I started this thread, I thought of the Port a Potty segment too. Although I bet the woman was only peeing for maybe 15-20 seconds, she probably didn't realize that it was enough time to grab the child. I think it was more naivety than negligence. Maybe a little stupidity too. I do feel bad for the kids and parents in these stories

I grew up in Southern California, no way would my Mom let me go anywhere without an adult. She doesn't let me go out alone now and I'm almost 25.

[dks64]

Originally Posted by UMFaninMD

The main one that stands out for me was the murder of Sherrice Iverson in 1997. She was the seven year-old that was playing alone in a casino arcade while her father gambled. Security warned him that his daughter was alone and even though her older brother did come and get her, she returned to the arcade. She met up with two teenagers and started playing hide and seek with them. She ran into a bathroom and one of the men followed her and he ended up raping and killing her while the stood outside the door. The two men, David Cash and Jeremy Strohmeyer, bragged about the killing to school friends and they called police.

At the time this happened, casinos in out west were trying to bring in more families because they were getting flak for being too adult. Then after the murder, they got flak for trying to make their places too family friendly. The father got his share of criticism too for not only bringing his underage children to a casino, but gambling at almost four in the morning and allowing his children to be up at that hour. Even the killers were under 21.

Then the Dad had the nerve to sue the casino. He died before his civil suit went through, thankfully. What a waste of taxpayer dollar. Creating a "family friendly" atmosphere does not mean abandoning your kid.... at 4am.... in a casino. I wish her father had been charged with child endangerment.

The slaying was fostered by an environment created "to invite adults with children as patrons," by "purposefully provid(ing) facilities and circumstances attractive to minors staying in the hotel," the lawsuit says. "Said facilities and circumstances are provided so as to permit, comfort and encourage parents to separate from their children." The problem is "by creating amusements for minors on their properties, defendants also attract persons who assault minors, including, but not limited to, Mr. Strohmeyer, onto the properties," the lawsuit says. Parents are duped because the hotel's "extensive and apparent security in the gaming and arcade areas creates an illusionary impression of high security throughout the hotel," the lawsuit continues. In reality, though, no one is watching the children, says the lawsuit, which asks for more than $10,000 in damages for negligent security and wrongful death.

Shortly after the slaying, Primadonna Chief Operating Officer Chris Gibase said a security officer found Sherrice wandering alone at Buffalo Bill's at 1:33 a.m. Iverson's family was paged, and her 14-year-old brother, Harold, came to the hotel security desk and picked her up. Police said the family then left Buffalo Bill's and went next door to Primm Valley.

http://www.rossde.com/editorials/Iverson_news.html

[SageSlowdive]

It's heartbreaking whenever anyone is kidnapped.

And did the parents of the baby left in the car at least get a punch in the face afterwords?

[dks64]

I hope so. I wonder if the parents were ever charged. That seems like serious neglect.

[dks64]

I bet Harpreet is still alive, since the car seat was taken too. I wonder if she has any idea that she was kidnapped (or adopted).

[Corky Kneivel]

I think in a lot of cases what seems most senseless, and is most easily what is most galling, are the incredibly mundane and seemingly stupid things the parents were doing. "You mean the kids got snatched...while that dumb bitch was buying wrestling tickets!!?" "His daughter was raped and murdered...and this ****ing idiot was playing blackjack?!?".

[karenjanee]

Originally Posted by dks64

I hope so. I wonder if the parents were ever charged. That seems like serious neglect.

I couldn't imagine leave my 1 month old in a car for 30 minutes unattended....