Child Abduction: Prevention, Investigation, and Recovery

193 Pages·2008·0.77 MB·English

by  Robert L. Snow

Child Abduction
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Child Abduction
Prevention, Investigation, and Recovery
ROBERT L. SNOW
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Snow,RobertL.
Childabduction:prevention,investigation,andrecovery/RobertL.Snow.
p.cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978–0–313–34786–3(alk.paper)
1.Abduction. 2.Abduction—UnitedStates. 3.Children—Crimesagainst—Prevention. I.
Title.
HV6571.S65 2008
364.15’4083—dc22 2008020461
BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationDataisavailable.
Copyright2008byRobertL.Snow
Allrightsreserved.Noportionofthisbookmaybe
reproduced,byanyprocessortechnique,withoutthe
expresswrittenconsentofthepublisher.
LibraryofCongressCatalogCardNumber:2008020461
ISBN:978–0–313–34786–3
Firstpublishedin2008
PraegerPublishers,88PostRoadWest,Westport,CT06881
AnimprintofGreenwoodPublishingGroup,Inc.
www.praeger.com
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
Thepaperusedinthisbookcomplieswiththe
PermanentPaperStandardissuedbytheNational
InformationStandardsOrganization(Z39.48–1984).
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
ThisbookisdedicatedtomyoldAirForcebuddy,EdKawasaki.
Rememberingallofourescapades,andforover40yearsoffriendship.
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Contents
1.ChildAbductionsintheUnitedStates 1
2.SexOffenderAbductions 11
3.InfantAbductions 19
4.PsychoticAbductions 27
5.FamilyAbductions 35
6.InternationalAbductions 47
7.OtherTypesofChildAbduction 59
8.SecondaryVictimsofChildAbduction 69
9.WhySomeChildrenStay 81
10.PoliceResponsetoChildAbduction 95
11.WhattheGovernmentCanDo 107
12.WhatParentsCanDo 119
13.HelpingVictimsofAbductionRecover 145
14.SomeFinalThoughtsaboutChildAbduction 153
Notes 155
Bibliography 169
Index 179
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1
Child Abductions in the
United States
Itwaseveryparent’sworstnightmare.SteveGroene’seight-year-olddaugh-
terShasta,nine-year-oldsonDylan,and13-year-oldsonSladelivedwithhis
ex-wifeBrendaandherboyfriendMarkMcKenzie.Earlyinthemorningof
May 16, 2005, someone broke into his ex-wife’s house in Coeur d’Alene,
Idaho,andkilledher,Mark,andSlade.Theintruder,policedetectiveslater
told the father, then likely abducted Shasta and Dylan. For Steve Groene,
it was unbelievable. Things like that just didn’t happen in Coeur d’Alene.
Peoplelivingaroundtherefeltsosafetheydidn’thavedeadbolts,andoften
didn’tevenusetheregularlocks.
Thedetectivesassignedtothecase,eventhoughbelievingthechildrenhad
beenabducted,hadnoideawherethemurdererhadtakenthem,orevenif
the children were still alive. Abductors of children often kill their victims
withinhoursoftheabduction.Hundredsofsearchers,someonfoot,some
onhorses,andothersdrivingall-terrainvehicles,combedtheheavywoods
around the crime scene, looking for the missing children. In the hope of
increasing their chances of success, the police also brought in a helicopter
andevencadaver-sniffingdogs.
‘‘We’re looking for anything right now, whether it be the children, the
children’sbodiesorevidence—ascrapofclothing,anythinglikethat,’’said
KooteniaCountySheriff’sCaptainBenWolfinger.1