Missing Persons cases that could've been easily prevented?

[Oldschooler81]

To me these are some of the saddest cases, where just a little more understanding or a different course of action by family or friends could've made it turn out way different. I'm sure their loved ones feel the same way in hindsight, so I'm not beating up on them or anything.

Gordon Page Jr - It's tempting to be mad at his dad for not opening the van door when he tried to get inside (I got the impression he felt really bad about it in the interview too), but it's really unfortunate he kept getting misdiagnosed until the last couple years we know he was alive. That was what bugged me more than anything.

His parents seemed very loving, although I can't help but think they should've taken him down to Florida with them and found a group home THERE. Interesting too that his youngerbrothers were never interviewed in the segment, only mentioned. By 1991 they were adults too, he could've even went to live close to one of them.

Kristi Krebs - This one is a little more complicated, but I feel bad because she seemed like a really nice girl, just who exploded when a bunch of things happened all at the same time, and maybe just couldn't handle it.

They don't allude to her having any mental breakdowns before the 1990 car fire, although maybe they were just minor or hadn't manifested themselves enough. I'm just going totally out on a limb here, but maybe she liked this married guy at work because he was nicer/more stable than the more immature d**chebag guys closer to her own age.

The second time I think she just snapped from being overworked (possibly she had low self esteem?) and the car fire 3 years later must've brought it all back. I don't think her parents did anything wrong per se, but it could've been as simple as needing a psychologist or just a caring person to talk with.

[xxxxmattxxxx69]

Originally Posted by Oldschooler81

To me these are some of the saddest cases, where just a little more understanding or a different course of action by family or friends could've made it turn out way different. I'm sure their loved ones feel the same way in hindsight, so I'm not beating up on them or anything.

Gordon Page Jr - It's tempting to be mad at his dad for not opening the van door when he tried to get inside (I got the impression he felt really bad about it in the interview too), but it's really unfortunate he kept getting misdiagnosed until the last couple years we know he was alive. That was what bugged me more than anything.

His parents seemed very loving, although I can't help but think they should've taken him down to Florida with them and found a group home THERE. Interesting too that his youngerbrothers were never interviewed in the segment, only mentioned. By 1991 they were adults too, he could've even went to live close to one of them.

Kristi Krebs - This one is a little more complicated, but I feel bad because she seemed like a really nice girl, just who exploded when a bunch of things happened all at the same time, and maybe just couldn't handle it.

They don't allude to her having any mental breakdowns before the 1990 car fire, although maybe they were just minor or hadn't manifested themselves enough. I'm just going totally out on a limb here, but maybe she liked this married guy at work because he was nicer/more stable than the more immature d**chebag guys closer to her own age.

The second time I think she just snapped from being overworked (possibly she had low self esteem?) and the car fire 3 years later must've brought it all back. I don't think her parents did anything wrong per se, but it could've been as simple as needing a psychologist or just a caring person to talk with.

Angela Hammond because when she felt paranoid about the sketchy pick up truck she should have phoned 911 and said she didn't feel safe

[Oldschooler81]

^ Yeah, I thought of that too. She probably should've hung up with Rob and called, if it was available. In hindsight, she probably thought it wasn't any big deal (just a lost guy or at most a weirdo, but not a potential killer).

I wonder if they even had 911 then. I figure a small midwestern town probably wasn't too up to date technologically (heck, they might've still been stuck in 1980 back in 1991), and I'm pretty sure it wasn't totally common everywhere until about that time.

[zack007attack]

Justin Burgwinkel-I don't want to put any blame on his girlfriend, but I feel that she might have been able to convince him to tell him who called and said "the mission's off". If he had told her, it most likely would have solved his disapperance or have kept him from going AWOL altogether.

Adam Hecht-I don't condemn him for his selflessness in aiding a homeless person like he did, but I personally would NEVER let a homeless stranger into my home, much less house them. I feel Tony knows something about Adam's disappearance he is not telling. Perhaps if his family had convinced him that housing strange homeless people is bad news, he might not have disappeared.

Tammy Leppert-If her mother had stopped her from getting into the car with her friend (especially since she had bad feelings about Tammy doing that), she might still be around.

Patricia Meehan-What I would have done if I were in charge of the investigation is, after she disappeared, put all points bulletins around the whole country to look out for her. I would have also recommended putting "missing persons" posters at truck stations and stops around the country for people (especially truckers) to look out for her.

Charles Horvath-He should have been advised by his mother to not travel alone out in British Colombia, far away from people he could easily get help from (like his relatives), and far away from home.

[Oldschooler81]

^ Yeah, I get really frustrated when I watch that part of the Tammy Leppert segment with her mom on the phone (not her fault, but still). Well, the whole case was sad, and something clearly happened to her on the movie set, it's just a shame most people didn't seem to take her seriously and she didn't REALLY have anyone she could confide in.

Her friend Rick was a jerk for kicking her out of the car away from home too. Even if he was mad at her, he should've at least taken her back home or to a safe area.

[McBevis]

Jacqueline Castaneda - She was the baby who was kidnapped after her mother, Olivia, decided to leave her alone for about a minute while she made use of an outhouse. So what if the outhouse is cramped and dirty inside? You don't EVER leave an infant completely alone in a crowded public place (they were at a flea market). And if there wasn't room in the outhouse for the three of them (she had her 2-year-old follow her into the outhouse), why not ask her husband or her mother (both of whom had accompanied her to the flea market) to keep an eye on the baby?

[mah79]

George Owens--I think that when he appeared at that ice cream store in Lobelville, TN, the cashier should have known that something was wrong. To me, it sounded as if he had suffered a stroke, or was in the early stages of Alzheimer's. In one breath, he is buying ice cream and cigars, and in the next, he is having a flashback to the past, and saying something that doesn't make sense. "I used to love to dance...but I can't find my wife." Perhaps if she asked him if he was sick or if he needed help, then maybe he would not have disappeared. I don't get why, out of all the things she would do, she would call the clinic to ask if his wife was there. I saw in the video segment where she deeply regretted not knowing enough to make a phone call.

[Oldschooler81]

Originally Posted by mah79

George Owens--I think that when he appeared at that ice cream store in Lobelville, TN, the cashier should have known that something was wrong. To me, it sounded as if he had suffered a stroke, or was in the early stages of Alzheimer's. In one breath, he is buying ice cream and cigars, and in the next, he is having a flashback to the past, and saying something that doesn't make sense. "I used to love to dance...but I can't find my wife." Perhaps if she asked him if he was sick or if he needed help, then maybe he would not have disappeared. I don't get why, out of all the things she would do, she would call the clinic to ask if his wife was there. I saw in the video segment where she deeply regretted not knowing enough to make a phone call.

Yeah, that's the most heartbreaking part of the segment to me. I could tell the girl felt really bad about it in her interview, and we've all made mistakes... but everytime I watch the reenactment I'm practically screaming at the tv for her to call the police or otherwise get him help. Not just "She wasn't there, I'm sorry sir." Although she did seem pretty nice, and I'm sure alot of retail clerks (especially in a big city) wouldn't even do that or take the time to care today.

I'm of the idea he probably died that day or just a couple days afterwards. If he had a stroke and wasn't thinking rationally, I totally could believe him putting the firewood in the car himself, and probably wandered off and his body just never has been found over the years.

Just sad all around.

[browneyes106]

I also thought the same things about the Gordon Page case. Groups homes for disabled/autustic people exist in different states. The Page family could have found one Florida that could have been a good driving distance from there home. I worked with a woman whose autustic brother was placed in one many years ago and she said at the time he was placed there was only one group home for autustics at time and now years later there are four in the area.

There could have been good reasons to why the Pages didn't take Gordon with him maybe he wouldn't have qualified for services in Florida or maybe a similar reason like that. I wondered about the brothers but maybe they were uncomfortable on camera.

[justins5256]

Even when I was much younger, I thought the Michaela Garecht abduction could have been easily prevented/avoided had the two girls gone back inside the store and asked for an adult to help them retrieve the scooter or at a minimum explained that the scooter had been moved.

[Orange_Sody_84]

Originally Posted by justins5256

Even when I was much younger, I thought the Michaela Garecht abduction could have been easily prevented/avoided had the two girls gone back inside the store and asked for an adult to help them retrieve the scooter or at a minimum explained that the scooter had been moved.

Ugh! I know what you mean. no offense to Michaela but I pretty much wanted to scream at my TV "C'mon kids! go ask for some help! don't walk over to get the stupid Scooter!" so frustrating. you think the girls would've known better. Stranger Danger and whatnot.

[egswanso]

With almost every missing person case, you can say (with 20/20 hindsight), what the victim could have done to prevent it. IMO, this is nothing more then beating yourself (or them) up.

[mwcarolina]

Originally Posted by Orange_Sody_84

Ugh! I know what you mean. no offense to Michaela but I pretty much wanted to scream at my TV "C'mon kids! go ask for some help! don't walk over to get the stupid Scooter!" so frustrating. you think the girls would've known better. Stranger Danger and whatnot.

i know what you mean, but they also likely werent thinking too much at the time and likely thought maybe they put it there and likely didnt see any danger, BUT i still to this day cant stand this case. this sicko should be in prison for life.

[MegtheEgg86]

Originally Posted by egswanso

With almost every missing person case, you can say (with 20/20 hindsight), what the victim could have done to prevent it. IMO, this is nothing more then beating yourself (or them) up.

I concur.

[DP1]

Originally Posted by MegtheEgg86

I concur.

I agree as well.

I do wonder though how many missing persons cases could have been avoided if cell phones were around back then like they are now. I mean, crime still happens with cell phones but you have to figure that some of these missing persons cases and crimes in general could have been prevented if they had been around.