VICTIM'S FATHER SERVED TIME AS A PERV

NY Post ^ | January 21, 2007 | KEVIN JENKINS in Richwoods, Mo., and BRAD HAMILTON in New York

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

The man who fathered kidnapped teen Shawn Hornbeck was a convicted sex offender who did three years in a Missouri prison on drug and sodomy charges, The Post has learned.

The late Walter Hornbeck was 60 when Shawn was born to him and his wife, Pamela Akers. He had little contact with his son, Akers said.

Akers kicked him out of the house when the boy was just 6 months old, and the couple divorced in 1992, about a year after Shawn was born.

Hornbeck was arrested in Washington County, near St. Louis, on Sept. 30, 1992, and charged with rape, although it's unclear who the victim was. Details of the case were not available, and most of the record has been sealed.

[xcamel]

Why do they figure this information was important?
the guy is dead.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

FYI

[Cagey]

Why do they figure this information was important?

It makes for good gossip and grist for the newspapers.

[kinoxi]

The boys been through enough. They're digging up dirt on relatives he's had virtually no contact with for what reason?

[TADSLOS]

Irrelevant media sensationalism at work.

[Grendel9]

Relevance? Absolutely none.
But since the reporters can't
get the family to talk beyond
Oprah (for which the kid's folks
probably received a generous "appearance
fee" from Madam Winfrey), the
media is digging up what it
can. This kind of humiliating
"reporting" with all its innuendos
about the "family facts" will
certainly put a damper on future
victims coming forward to testify
about abuses.

[LtdGovt]

Djeez, thank you, New York Post, for kicking a 16-year old in the face after he's been away from his family for 4 years.

[LtdGovt]

Hornbeck pleaded guilty to attempted sodomy, a felony, as well as possession of a controlled substance and he was sentenced to seven years in state prison in 1994.

He got out in 1997, when Shawn was 6, but the two had no further contact, said Akers.

Disgraceful. We need Jessica's law in every state.

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

But since the reporters can't get the family to talk beyond Oprah (for which the kid's folks probably received a generous "appearance fee" from Madam Winfrey), the media is digging up what it can.

Reporters are like hungry dogs. You either feed them, or they go through your trash, but they are going to eat.

[xcamel]

That's how I see it...

[Halls]

Shawn Hornbeck PING!

[Halls]

this is nothing more than irresponsible tabloid reporting at it's worse! How they are allowed to get away with this and smear this family. This has nothing to do with the case and I'm totally disgusted!

[nmh]

Glad she threw the piece of garabage out!

[nmh]

"Djeez, thank you, New York Post, for kicking a 16-year old in the face after he's been away from his family for 4 years."

This is nothing.

Oprah humiliated the guy on nation T.V..

Can you imagine being so STUPID to ask the parents if they thought he was molested, sexually?

She did.

Little did we know, the object Shawn was sitting in the AUDIANCE watching and listening to this.

Way to go Oprah!

Oprah is one insensitive ratings chaser.

[BonneBlue]

My take on this is that Devlins lawyers put this information out there. The lawyers admitted last week that they did not have any evidence yet. I believe this is a first attempt perhaps, among more to come, to make the victim appear victimless hence they are laying their foundation for their defense. The Washington County DA said that they did not feel the need to interview Shawn again, they have what they need. Keep in mind the DA very firmly said that Shawn is a victim here,,,end of story. DAs from both counties for both boys are working slowly and methodically right now. I believe once the DA starts releasing the evidence, these media attacks on the victim and his family will dim in comparison.

[muawiyah]

Two things ~ the story is undoubtedly tasteless and WE probably don't need to know about it. On the other hand, it is highly relevant to this case. Shawn may well have been "targeted" by his kidnapper long before, possibly based on information he picked up from others of his kind who'd been imprisoned with Shawn's daddy.

If there's the slightest link, the kidnapper can be charged with enough items to keep him in jail forever even if Hillary Clinton becomes President and pardons him.

[raybbr]

The boys been through enough. They're digging up dirt on relatives he's had virtually no contact with for what reason?

Apparently the parents don't think so. That's why they paraded him on Oprah.

Shawn Hornbeck, centre, poses with Oprah Winfrey, his aunt Shari Frazier, left, and his parents Craig and Pam Akers, right, after taking a segment for The Oprah Winfrey Show. (AP / Harpo Productions)

Why is his name Honrbeck and not Akers?

[OldFriend]

And this has relevance to the kidnapping?????????????????????

[OldFriend]

They were in the midst of adoption when Shawn was kidnapped. The boy just asked if Akers wanted to go thru with the adoption. How sad for Shawn.

Saw a picture of Shawn's mom soon after he had been kidnapped. She looked young and beautiful. What these years have done to her is so tragic.

This family deserves our prayers.