Help Find a Missing Child...
By LadyMarissa
@LadyMarissa (12148)
United States
October 6, 2009 9:48am CST
http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PublicHomeServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US
This morning I did a discussion on a mother who is accused of attempting to sell her baby. That story upset me greatly!!! I keep my TV on while I'm on myLot. I'm not always watching it, but it's great for background noise...makes me feel I'm not here ALONE!!! I was watching 7th Heaven. Their storyline was of a family whose son had been snatched by the husband's ex-girlfriend when the boy was 7 years old. Of course, being a television show the lost child was reunited with his family at the end of the show. The girlfriend felt the dad had cheated her of a child so she took his. Then they showed the picture of the little boy the show was about & had him marked as recovered. The show was a true story. They spent the last 5 minutes of the show flashing pictures of missing children both recovered & not found. It made me think how terrible it would be to just have your child disappear never to be seen again!!! I was shocked how many of those children had been missing for 8-10 years or longer. I went to the Missing & Exploited Children website & put in my state where the pictures & a list of all children missing in Georgia were listed. I also pulled up South Carolina, North Carolina & Florida. I don't know if I'll ever see any of these children, but I want to be prepared just in case I ever have the opportunity. The recently found Jaycee Dugard shows that there is ALWAYS hope. Would you be willing to help a child find their way home??? Would you be willing to look over this site in order to help a child???
4 responses
@Skyeblue25 (545)
•
26 Oct 09
Having children my self I find it heartbreaking to watch these programs. My daughter is the same age (1 week older) as Madelaine MacKan that went missing in Portugal.
I remember going shopping with my son when he was about 5yrs old, it was a really busy Saturday and I was walking through the market with my daughter in her pushchair and my son was meant to be holding the side of the buggy. I stopped to take a look at one of the stalls, I took my eye of my son for seconds. When I turned round he was gone.
The feeling I had then was horrible. He was tiny and everywhere I looked there were crowds of people. I forced my way through the crowd and luckily I found him, sitting on some steps. He was bothered at all, but for me it was the worst experience ever.
To be seperated from your child is the worst horror that can happen to a parent, how anyone could sell there child is completely beyond me.
I also watched a program which tried to show why some women sell their kids. It was all to do with poverty and the believe they were giving their child a better life. When actually they were handing them over to child slavery and abuse.
Over here in the UK pictures of missing children are put on milk bottles and posters. I say a prayer everyday that they will be found.
1 person likes this
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
26 Oct 09
I have no children of my own, but I do have 4 step daughters & 6 step grandchildren. I think it would be horrible to have a child just disappear from you. In the one discussion where the Mother was accused of trying to sell her baby, she was FALSELY accused. I feel in Madelaine's case is would be extra traumatic as the parents are the suspects & the authorities are not looking any further. Assuming they are innocent, it would have to be torture to know the authorities are not even looking for your child. That would have to be such a helpless feeling!!! 
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
27 Oct 09
What a lovely avatar you have there!!! I just pray they get their daughter back!!!! Just think of all the wasted time that could have been used to find that sweet child!!!
@Skyeblue25 (545)
•
27 Oct 09
Yes the portugese police did have them as suspects, but they have been ruled out now and the search continues. They had a recent lead from their private detectives but unfortunately nothing has come of it.
They do believe their daughter is alive though. The leads seem to point to the girl being sold and I hope to God it was to a person who couldn't have children and is taking care of her. The other isn't even worth thinking about.
1 person likes this
@malamar (779)
• Canada
12 Oct 09
Good morning LadyMarissa. I know too much about missing children cases as I tend to follow them quite closely. Shawn Hornebeck, Elizabeth Smart, and now Jaycee are unfortuately exceptions to missing cases. Thankfully, they were found alive, but so very many more are not found alive, or never found at all. It is a heartbreaking and really frightening reality.
There is a online forum you can join that follows these cases in an uptodate interactive forum. You can choose to follow either only those in your particular state/province, or you can follow many at one time.
Child Find is another site that I check periodically. You honestly never can tell just when and where you might see something that can provide a tip or lead to help bring a child home. Everyone should pay attention, especially near your hometown and surrounding areas.
1 person likes this
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
12 Oct 09
Good morning Malamar!!! 
I have been fortunate enough to never know a missing child. Elizabeth & Jaycee are proof that we ALL need to pay closer attention to those around us. Just because a child doesn't look scared, it doesn't mean they are not in danger!!! When looking at the picture of a missing child, I look into the eyes & try to memorize what I see. Then I look at the face so maybe I will realize if I ever see a missing child. I would hope I never let a missing child live next door to me for 20 years without noticing. I don't blame the neighbor in Jaycees case, but I would hope I don't make the same mistake!!! Thanks for recommending another site!!! 
I have been fortunate enough to never know a missing child. Elizabeth & Jaycee are proof that we ALL need to pay closer attention to those around us. Just because a child doesn't look scared, it doesn't mean they are not in danger!!! When looking at the picture of a missing child, I look into the eyes & try to memorize what I see. Then I look at the face so maybe I will realize if I ever see a missing child. I would hope I never let a missing child live next door to me for 20 years without noticing. I don't blame the neighbor in Jaycees case, but I would hope I don't make the same mistake!!! Thanks for recommending another site!!! 
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
10 Oct 09
I would do anything I possibly could to help a child find their way home. I did look at the site and did a search in Missouri going back 10 years. Can't imagine having one of our kids taken and never returned. Breaks my heart to think about it. Missouri did have a positive outcome when Shawn Hornbeck was found about 8 miles from our house. He had been missing about 4 or 5 years and was found living with a guy who worked for a pizza restaurant. Thank G-d he was ok. Well ok in the sense physically he was ok. Will take many years to straighten him out and get him back on his feet emotionally. The guy who snatched him should serve the rest of his life in prison.
1 person likes this
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
10 Oct 09
I remember when that young man was found. What a glorious day that must have been for his parents!!!! I think I would go CRAZY if one of my children just disappeared!!! Elizabeth Smart is another who turned out well considering the circumstances. She appears to have recovered well. I don't know if I could deal with what she did with such grace. I admire that young lady!!!!
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
7 Oct 09
I'm sorry for those missing children. I pray for them every day. Thanks for the website!
I live alone, too. But I never have the TV on unless it's to watch a specific show. Listen to some music, some talk radio to make you think and keep you up to date on current events. If you have cable, turn the tv to music that you haven't heard before--latin, salsa, classical, swing, jazz, etc. Be adventurous! It will make your brain more alert to spot those little innocents if you should happen to see one.
1 person likes this
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
10 Oct 09
I keep the TV on for the company. I listen to the same shows every day. It's an art I learned in high school when I had to go home from a date & tell my Mom what the movie was about. I learned to watch by ear!!! 
I'm a member of Jango. When I don't want to listen to TV by ear, I open up a new tab & go to Jango & listen to either one of my stations or choose another member's station to find new music.
I worry about the innocent ones that just disappear!!! I don't think i could stand it if it was one of my own!!!! Everywhere I go now, I look into the eyes of the little kids to see if they look familiar. I'll probably win the lottery before I find a kidnapped child. You can't win the lottery without a ticket & you can't find a lost child if you don't look!!! So, look is what I'm doing!!!!
I'm a member of Jango. When I don't want to listen to TV by ear, I open up a new tab & go to Jango & listen to either one of my stations or choose another member's station to find new music.
I worry about the innocent ones that just disappear!!! I don't think i could stand it if it was one of my own!!!! Everywhere I go now, I look into the eyes of the little kids to see if they look familiar. I'll probably win the lottery before I find a kidnapped child. You can't win the lottery without a ticket & you can't find a lost child if you don't look!!! So, look is what I'm doing!!!!