Ecstatic Parents of Boys Found in Missouri Hail 'Miracle'
By weee_ann
@weee_ann (1453)
Philippines
January 13, 2007 10:03pm CST
St. Louis, Missouri (CNN) - Two very relieved and beaming families hugged their songs at news conferences Saturday, the day after the two missing boys were found - one after four days, the other after four years.
Police had been searching for Ben Ownby, 13, who disappeared Monday, when they found him with another teenager in a man's apartment in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. That boy told the officers that he was Shawn Hornbeck, who was last seen riding his bike in 2002, when he was 11.
The apartment owner, Michael J. Devlin, 41, was arrested Friday and charged with one court of first-degree kidnapping, according to Franklin County Prosecutor Robert Parks.
2 responses
@asteriskec (1074)
• Philippines
14 Jan 07
Kudos to Hornbeck and Ownby's parents for not giving up. Especially Hornbeck's mom and stepdad who, after four years of waiting, didn't lose hope at all. I think their will and faith give hope to other people in the same situation right now. What do you think? To the police --- great work! And to Devlin...I seriously want to know why the heck you kidnapped those boys. Geez.
@jsgrand0 (246)
• United States
15 Jan 07
This is a wonderful, heartwarming story. I believe that God sent Ben to find Shawn...and now both boys are home where they belong. I know Shawn has a long, difficult road ahead of him. He and his family will need counseling to even begin to cope with everything that has happened. I am absolutely SHOCKED at how easy it was for Devlin. Shawn's picture was up EVERYWHERE and he lived at this apartment for the last 4 1/2 years and NO ONE recognized him...He had websites (yahoo, my space and MORE) with his picture on them and no one ever realized it,,,it truly is amazing how well hidden in "plain sight" he was. It's sad that the world is going this way. You can no longer let you child even ride around the block without taking a big risk.
