Posted on 01/19/2007 11:39:44 AM PST by Halls
Shawn Hornbeck's parents say they may never know the full story as to why their son Shawn never attempted to contact them or to escape during the more than four years he lived with the man police say abducted him in 2002. But they said comments by Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly that the boy may have enjoyed living with Michael Devlin more than his family had infuriated the couple.
Shawn's stepfather, Craig Akers, said in an interview with TIME late Thursday evening. "Our son was 11 when he was abducted. A child that age can be mentally manipulated in a very short time. Hearing him say what he said absolutely infuriates me. I can hardly even express how mad it makes me to hear that."
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
You might want to read post 228 new info
"150 home-made video tapes were found in Devlin's bedroom. No word as to content [per 3d hand information from KIrkwook cop}."
It doesn't have to be Stockholm Syndrome or even terror. Simple blackmail's quite effective.
the shame from something like this can keep any child afraid and not wanting to do anything that would cause this such emberessment.
I agree with you and think it was a combination of terror,blackmail, and fear that kept Shawn were he was for those 4 years.
I never had any doubt about the horrors that the poor child endured. I fear that he will never get over it. I am not saying that I know how he will turn out as an adult just that it will haunt him till the grave.
Devlin is a monster who needs to be shown no mercy.
I was involved in something bad when I was 18 that hurt me badly. It was no where near anything like what has happend to Shawn and I still carry some baggage from it.
I know people say "just get over it" but that is harder than some people think. God Bless you.
i was i counseling for years and it helped a lot, but the baggage was there. You can't tell someone to just get over any hurt. Hurts take time to heal and long hurts take longer to heal. I just don't see how Shawn will ever totally recover. This will always be with him.
Embarrassed to be hanging with their parents is the natural state of affairs for teens. Don't ascribe your opinion into Shawn's feelings .
i don't think what Ditter was saying was to put Shawn down in anyway.
Wow, 150 home made video tapes. I feel sick.
I just picked up a people magazine.
Devlin's lawyer says "There are some shocking facts about this case that have yet to come out", says Devlins lawyer Ethan Corija.
oh yea, the shocking stuff that will be coming out of Devlin's mouth huh? Please, what is going to comeout of his mouth is pure garbage! He will say stuff like Shawn wanted to sexual abuse, wanted to stay with him, that Shawn wanted Ben, not Devlin. Perverts lie and perverts will say anything to try and sicredit his victims. We've seen this before and it never worked!
More per People:
Kim Evans, family friend says that Shawn is having a hard time with all the commotion at home. Evans says Shawn is used to a solitary existence and at first the commotion was challenging to him.
Owner of the pizza parlor described Devlin who is 6'4" and 300 lbs as a gentle guy who got along with police officers who often ate at the parlor.
Neighbors say Devlin had nasty temper and nobody got along with him. Some thought he was a weirdo. Devlin was known to get right up into peoples faces. He was about intimidation said the neighbors.
i will get People this afternoon and read it!
Shawn spent the last 4 years growing attached to his situation unfortunately. It took a while just like it will take a while for him to grow attachment back to being what it was like before he was stolen by Devlin.
Per People:
Those who saw Shawn at the apt complex assumed he was Devlins son. Neighbors noticed he never went to school, figuring he was a drop out. (Apparently this was later on in his captivity that Shawn had more freedom. 11 yr olds do not drop out of school )Sometimes when Mike was at work, Shawn would have the door open. Neighbors would get a glimpse of him playing video games or on the phone. They figured he was a kid whose dad did not care too much about him. Shawn seemed to have some freedom. He even volunteered at the St Louis Cardinals World Series Parade. A friend said it seemed he had a good time.
Police say Shawn did not try to get away because his life and the lives of his family were threatened. Neighbors heard Mike brow beating Shawn. They would here Mike screaming at Shawn, saying, Can't you do anything right?
Shawn may have been aware that the neighbors knew something was wrong but nobody did not do anything or say anything about it.
There is another story of a girl from Wisconsin that went thru a similar experience as to Shawns. She was kept for 3 1/2 months in a series of hotels in Houston by her abductor all the while he went to work during the day. He masqueraded as her father. It is an interesting read.
How far away did Shawn live from his parents? Different town, same town?
50 miles
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