Cops: Major Change in Wisconsin Coed Mystery [Audrey Seiler]

Fox News Online ^ | 4/2/04 | AP

[TheBigB]

MADISON, Wis.

[LisaMalia]

When I'm wrong, I try to admit it...so here goes.

I've got to say, I've really changed my opinion since the latest developments. I was really feeling sorry for this girl, thought she suffered a nervous breakdown. After finding out that she had the forethought to purchase those items and stage the entire thing...that's another story. I can't imagine someone who who is seriously depressed having that type of premeditated thought process.

What she did was reckless, thoughtless, and expensive to taxpayers. It also may have an effect on future cases of legitimately missing persons and how they are treated.

At the end of the day, I guess you could say this young women needs help, but also needs to be held accountable for her actions. Since the facts have surfaced, her behavior to me sounds more like that of a sociopath. My prayers go out to her family, because I'm sure this has been a horrible ordeal for them.

[rastus macgill]

She is not "delusional" she is just a bad liar!
(Seriously...Why do you think she is delusional?)

[FITZ]

My parents never supported me in college. I made my own way and I am an adult free to go where I want when I want. I keep in touch with them because I want to, not because of some obligation.

My parents let me know they didn't really care if I went to college ---- I just had to find something to do to support myself --- any kind of job as long as it was moral and ethical. I went but it was for myself ---- I think one of the best things you can do for your kids is to never push them (encourage yes but no pressure) but accept whatever their ability level and job desires they have.

[CSM]

In all honesty, I have not followed this story very closely. I just read a few things on FR and watched a few brief news stories. I am not saying absolve her at all. Instead, I am wondering what would be an appropriate charge and what are the possible sentences.

My first instinctual reaction is that she should be fried. However, after reading other people's take on the situation I ammended my own perception. I will add your input and I probably will be changing my view again. Thanks for the information.

Would you be willing to accept the sentence I proposed above?

1) 1 year probation (I could be persuaded to extend it to 2 years)
2) Mandatory, court ordered mental health program for entire probation period. (Actual type would be determined by pre sentence psychological exam.)
3) I large fine (based on her income) that she could either pay or work off via community service. She could volunteer to clean the marsh! ($500-1,000 range)

[WatchOutForSnakes]

Thanks for your post. I agree she does need help but she also needs punishment or no one will be deterred from doing the same thing again and it only erodes the belief we have in people. When that happens, the next time it may be real and we won't respond the way we should. As hard as it is sometimes we have to make an example of people to keep others from doing the same thing.

[CSM]

Sounds like we had the same parents ;-)....

Mine couldn't figure out why I wanted to go to college, they had survived without it. Then they were mad when I joined the Army. Oh, well. My degree is of a very high value to me and I have the satisfaction to know that I earned it.......

I agree. If I ever have children, I will allow them to develop in the areas they desire and have a chance for success. Of course, that will not mean a lack of discipline!

[bonfire]

Agree with the college thing. No point in pushing them. My oldest took a few years to figure things out and now will graduate in December. If he had gone straight to college after H.S. he would have failed. No doubt. Who knows the circumstances of this girls decision about college. We are purely speculating at this point.

[bonfire]

Hopefully, Greta will be on this tonight with some more facts.

[CSM]

Great. It's bumped to two years. I may even add a 30 day inpatiant counseling stint or a 30 day tether stint. But we will leave that to the prosecutor.......

I think if she plead to filing a false police report that would become a major flag on her record. I would hate for a list to get public then the vigilante mindset could really cause her more harm than the good it would cause society. How about a list that only LEO's and Judge's could access?

I will be heading out soon and unable to respond. Don't think I am blowing you off if I don't reply.

[CSM]

Yep. In my case, the first year of college was very difficult. I couldn't afford to go back and that led to the Army. The best scenario played out and I gained the needed maturity for the college years following the Army. Some of us just aren't ready out of the gate!

[bonfire]

What's really sad is that her parents were ADAMENT that she was an extremely well thought out, responsible person.

Sometimes it sucks to be a parent.

[bonfire]

THe bad part for parents of delayed-college-kids is that the expense just gets put off. We'll probably be paying for college til we retire! On that note, I'm crackin' a beer.

[BunnySlippers]

How do you know.

She said her abductor had a knife and duct tape (and other things). If she was trying to be a recluse why make up the abductor story? Why add the knife and tape to the story. Common sense says she was trying to stage her own abduction.

A recluse goes away and lives somewhere else even if he/she doesn't tell other people where they are going. Why leave without a coat? Why leave the door open? She clearly wasn't going for a nice little jaunt in the marshes!

[CSM]

The adament part of her parents shows one of two things. Either there was a problem that truly just reared its head, or the parents knew of a problem and just never did anything. I am not placing blame on them, just stating observations.

Now, to the college thing. If he puts it off for a couple years or longer, then make sure you DO NOT claim him on your taxes and that he claims independents. If he still lives with you, charge him rent and other bills. This will GREATLY reduce the cost of college. It may even get it low enough that he can pay his own way and the degree will be worth even more!

The added maturity will lead to better study habits and better grades. If he isn't ready yet, and is smart enough to recognize it, this choice will lead to better opportunities than you can foresee.

Good luck. It's beer thirty for me to. Have a great weekend.

[BunnySlippers]

Isn't this why we all pay taxes?

No, not even remotely.

[spunkets]

"Seriously...Why do you think she is delusional?"

Short ans...I've known folks like this. One in particular was giving accounts of how some local boys were stalking and promising to assault her. When I first heard the story, either the local boys were criminal geniuses, or she was psychotic. I checked out the local boys and they were dumber than rocks and wouldn't know what to do with a girl if she present herself to them.

Her story was elaborate, bizzare and the more attn she got the more surreal it got. I was of course the bad guy, because I didn't believe it and wouldn't volunteer to protect her. No one believed what I said, so I unlugged the phone. The next AM when everyone showed up she told her story about how they called and tried to get in. After she was done I pointed to the cord laying on the floor. They hated my guts for doing it-said I was just mean. Took them ~hour for it to sink in and almost a month for them to insist she see the docs. It got worse and she did.

There's others I've known, but the stories were more blatently bizzare. That means the ones after them are more easily recognized as figments of imagination. When the story first came out I thought the cops were acting the way they did, because she might have been drugged and didn't remember anything. As it turns out, they just wanted to confirm their suspicions regarding what they perceived.

By bizarre, I mean schizophrenia like delusional reality. Sometimes it's temporary, but more often it becomes permanent. When a normal person is confronted with hard irrefutable facts, they shut up. In this case the woman continued with more bizarre tales. That's the sure sign she is sick.

[CSM]

So you don't agree with the later part of my statement? Which was:

"What I am saying is that we pay for a full time police force and many of us will never use them. With regards to the police and the military, equal funding from us all should mean that we never get charged for their services. It does however stire a lot of emotional responses......"

If I don't even have the option to have a police force that investigates things that do not end up with criminal charges, then where is the 911 manual that shows a legitimate reason to call them? I guess, I can't even delude myself any longer that I get some value for my 50% tax rate. One of the three services I get to take advantage of is having the potential protection of the police. Since I don't own the manual of acceptable uses, I guess I can cross them off my list too.

Now, if I could just get my money back for the police, schools, parks, playgrounds, etc. I might be able to afford to live a decent life........(just ranting)

[CSM]

Both of us are angry with you for unplugging our phones!

;-).........

I just needed a shot of humor before the weekend starts.

Have a good weekend.

[jwin]

No! It's not Bush's fault. Remember "it's for the chldren."