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 ...
Other children have been abducted and have not tried to escape for years, they can't all have liked living with their kidnappers. People who take this stanch without knowing the facts are ignorant asshats IMO.
"Better to get out right away and let the media take all the pics they want and then go heal."
Going on the Oprah Winfrey show only benefitted her ratings, and the parents ego's.
A picture session perhaps to get the media campers off the lawn, but to go on National Television was stupid.
Maybe he thought he couldn't go back. Who knows. I would take him out of the media and homeschool him, and finish raising him privately though. IMO he will probably try to run away. It's hard to go from undisciplined to structure. I don't understand this not bringing things up until he talks about it either. I think I would assume the worse and let him know that nothing that might have happened would change me loving him, and if something bad happened he could tell me.
... putting him on Oprah was unconscionable!
Has Bills' wife left him? The stuff on tape would normally be enough to sink a career. That was in the harrassment lawsuit against him.
Agreed. An additional reason is that kidnappers may try (and succeed) in convincing children that their parents are angry at them or don't want them. What kid can't recall an episode, however minor, where Mom or Dad was angry or unhappy over the child's behavior? It plays right into the natural "it's my fault" reaction.
If you don't believe it, check out how many kids feel responsible for a parent dying, despite the fact they had nothing to do with it.
O'Reilly should be ashamed.
I wasn't watching BOR, thanks very much. I read what he said online in articles and posts about Shawn.
People asking questions is putting judgment on a child that deserves none of that. i think it is sad when people like you question the judgement of a child who has been terrorized.
Your opinion is unconscionable!
That is what I consider your misguided, selfish opinion.
I don't remember anyone saying Elizabeth Smart liked being molested by that ugly old coot and his nasty wife. Why would they say it about this boy? It's weird.
You apparently haven't had to face the World as a victim of such perversity. That is fortunate for you.
because he stayed with the guy for 4 years and didn't try and get away. This is why people are saying these cruel things about this boy.
People need to educate themself and realize that we cannot project what we think Shawn should have, could have, would have done. No one understands it, but that doesn't mean we should point the finger at him because we can't understand it. We haven't been there. The only one that can understand what Shawn has gone through was Steven Staynor and he is dead.
Shawn told Oprah in private that he didn't try to get away because he was terrified. People don't realize the depth of that meaning and if they think about it a bit more maybe they will see this was just a child when taken and still a child who was so terrified he never tried to get away.
There is only that explanation and it is good enough for me!
Please......Devlin did not KIDNAP a child because he wanted a best friend and I am sure Shawn did not stay because he could skip school and play video games all day. Have you ever had someone close to you be horribly abused? I have, and that child went through her days like NOTHING was going on. And you know what, it was going on right under our noses. It was not until she got to college that she had a mental breakdown that it all came to light. I would bet anything that Shawn was abused and told horrific things and stayed in order to protect his family, either from being hurt or humiliated by what was going on because the abuser ALWAYS puts the blame on the child. Another thing, it certainly would fit that since Shawn was maturing he did not fit Devlin's fantasy anymore, in comes Ben. I would not be surprised if there was a boy there when Shawn showed up 4 years ago. If there was and something happened to the other boy and Shawn was witness to it, by God, you had better believe he would not second guess a threat. They should have cadaver dogs checking Devlin's property.
My husband and I saw it and our jaws dropped. Just this morning my husband was saying he was still angry for O'Reillys comments.
You shouldn't assume. I was sexually molested by a brother as a very young child. The boy chose to go out and be seen. Would you rather that the media sit on his front lawn and snap pictures of him every time they think he appears at a window; report every time he goes to the bathroom?
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