Posted on 02/06/2004 7:34:15 AM PST by apackof2
SARASOTA, Fla. - The body of an 11-year-old girl whose abduction was captured by a surveillance camera has been found in a church parking lot and a mechanic has been charged with her murder, officials said Friday.
Sarasota County Sheriff Bill Balkwill refused to say where Carlie Brucia's body was found, but a law enforcement source close to the investigation said it was found between 12:45 a.m. and 1 a.m. Friday outside a church not far from the car wash where she was taken.
"Our prayers on behalf of everybody here in Sarasota County go out to the family," Balkwill said.
He said Joseph P. Smith, 37, has been charged with her murder. He is believed to be the tattooed man in a mechanic's shirt who was seen in a car wash surveillance video leading Carlie away by the arm Sunday evening, authorities said.
Investigators found the body after negotiations with Smith, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Earlier, authorities had said he was not cooperating.
"We now stand ready to complete our obligation, and assure you that he will pay the ultimate price for what he did to her," Capt. Jeff Bell said.
Family and friends had kept vigil outside Carlie's ranch-style house which was decorated with banners and posters reading, "We love you, Carlie."
Carlie was described by friends as a beautiful girl who loved actress Jennifer Lopez, going to the mall and hanging out. The youngster was known for greeting friends with warm hugs. She was heading home from a slumber party when she was abducted.
Carlie's friend Natalie Thomas cried after hearing that her classmate's body was found. She remembered Carlie's smile and that she liked to go on walks.
Carlie's family had gone into seclusion Friday and was unavailable for comment.
"There's nothing you can do to make anybody feel better and it's going to hurt for a long, long time," said Chuck Chambers, a private investigator who was working with the family.
"I need my daughter home," Carlie's mother, Susan Schorpen, had said Thursday. "She's a very, very important part of this family and community."
Members of her former Girl Scout troop took a day off from school Wednesday to pass out fliers at shopping centers, canvass neighborhoods and distribute pink ribbons adorned with Carlie's name.
A reward fund of $50,000 was offered for information.
Smith has been arrested at least 13 times in Florida since 1993, according to state records and convicted of drug possession and other charges. He was arrested in 1997 in Manatee County on kidnapping and false imprisonment charges, but was acquitted a year later.
An aide to Smith's public defender, Adam Tebrugge, had declined to comment Thursday.
Carlie was walking home from a friend's house at about 6:20 p.m. Sunday when she took a short cut behind Evie's Car Wash, which was closed for the day.
Car wash owner Mike Evanoff said he checked the security system video Monday after bloodhounds led deputies to the business. The images of Carlie popped up almost immediately when he turned on the system, he said.
"It was cold chills right up my back," Evanoff said earlier this week. "My manager couldn't even look at it. It's an awful feeling."
FOR DISCUSSION ONLY
In this day and age, you may be right. But an 11 year old girl should be able to walk to/from a friend's house in broad daylight. Nothing unusual for parents to allow that kind of thing.
Do you have children, and if so, are you the primary care-giver?
That is basically my understanding of what happened, based upon early news reports (except I think the stepfather was called by someone's mother after the child was allowed to start walking.) So I have to agree with you that there is some blame to be cast upon: 1) the child for lying, 2) the slumber party parents for simply accepting the child's word rather than confirming with her parents, and 3) the child's parents for not making firm pick-up arrangements before the fact.
And before I get flamed, let me say that this in no way lessens the blame that must be placed upon the perpetrator.......these were simply contributing factors that gave him the opportunity to work his evil.
I agree in general, but in this case she was not allowed to walk home. She lied to the friend's parents about it and left when her father was running late.
I do not view it as irresponsible for parents to allow an 11 year old girl to walk home from a friend's house in broad daylight - except perhaps in the worst of neighborhoods.
Having said that, it doesn't sound like this girl was supposed to be walking home anyway - her step dad was going to pick her up, but she left anyway.
"Smith has been arrested at least 13 times in Florida since 1993, according to state records and convicted of drug possession and other charges."
He was a drug use and pusher and he was walking among us. Now what?
Even the most responsible parents can have a missed connection picking up their child. When my first child was 16 months old, I would have probably said the same things as you, but I learned that life doesn't always work according to plan, no matter how noble the intentions. Do your best and pray that your kids grow up safely, but don't come down so hard on this girl's folks.
Folks such as myself. I see. You tried to put the blame for this on the parents. You're delusional. All the blame is on the perp. There's also plenty of blame to lay on the idiots on the jury that let this guy off for attacking that woman.
I don't want to get into other things that would have given the girl a chance against the murderous creep here. I will say though that your attack on the parents is unwarranted and extremely vicious. If you feel that you need to let off on someone, take it to the rats that enabled this.
I have made no comment; I asked a question, clearly addressed to a specific individual.
Your sympathy, outrage, and sense of propriety is very much shared, and appreciated.
Mean what? I asked a question.....but not of you.
Absolutely. Without question.
By any measure, this was objectively wrong.
I made no comment. I asked a question.
At least he's not out of Charles Schumer's "mainstream".
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