FNC: Missing Missouri Teen Found ALIVE (w/ another boy who went missing in 2002!)

Fox News ^ | 1-12-07

[cgk]

No link yet...

[toldyou]

Yes, he seems like a devoted "father." I thought he was great! God bless him....a good guy with a big heart. Many people will see this, and they will be generous. So nice to see a happy ending!

[Halls]

I don't love anywhere near there but I am going to make a call .

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

What I'm saying is that since it's now a nationwide story, perhaps Craig Aikers will join people like John Walsh and Marc Klaas and make it a personal mission to protect children by being a spokesman on the issue.

That's EXACTLY what Akers has been doing for the last four years. He started a foundation (Shawn Hornbeck Foundation - It's down right now - probably hosted low-budget on low bandwidth server - donations WILL help THAT to change). The local media and law enforcement have been on top of this because of Craig Akers' efforts.

[DaughterofEve]

I heard it said the beast told the kids to think of him as a character like (a? the?) Godfather, and if they tried to get away they could be killed in the effort -- or something like that.

[toldyou]

That hasn't been discussed, but there was an "expert" on FOX a few minutes ago who said that she's assuming that these children are probably told by the perp that he has someone watching their parents, and they'll be killed if the child tries to escape.

[altura]

Shawn didn't speak (that I saw) but he looked amazingly well-adjusted and good looking.

I hope he didn't suffer lasting trauma and that he can be whole.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Cached from google.com -

The Shawn Hornbeck Foundation Mission Statement

	FUNDRAISING FOR THE SHAWN HORNBECK FOUNDATION
	To support The Shawn Hornbeck Foundation and all of the Search and Rescue, K-9, Command Center and Information/Awareness programs.

	PROGRAMS OFFERED BY THE SHAWN HORNBECK FOUNDATION
	Four programs are offered immediately to help families and communities organize and search for children that become missing.

	GOALS AND INFORMATION OF THE SHAWN HORNBECK FOUNDATION
	Giving back to the community to help prevent future tragedies and losses.

KidsFEST     |     Photo Album     |     Contact Us     |     Latest News     |     Press Releases

[Ladysmith]

I think if I was held captive by a sick beast for 4 years, it might be NICE to make a decision on my own ASAP! It's not like they even asked him to speak. What do you all think?

I wholeheartedly agree. Allowing Shawn to have some control over his own life again will go far in his recovery.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

The Shawn Hornbeck Foundation Programs

The Shawn Hornbeck Foundation is committed to helping families, law enforcement, fire departments and other search and rescue teams in their efforts to find a lost child. The Shawn Hornbeck Foundation offers the following services:

Information/Awareness:
  · Offer proactive resources to the public, including public speaking, fingerprinting and child ID's and     MyID4Life (secure online personal information records)
  · Clearinghouse for missing child information distribution through the internet; local television, radio     and newspapers; other missing child organizations
  · Dissemination of missing child information through our website at www.alostchild.com
    ('A Lost Child' Services offered begining February, 2003)

Command Center Operations:
  · Software to track and maintain all search related information
  · Command Center set-up
  · Missing child website and hosting
  · Flyer distribution (email, fax, printed, egreeting cards)
  · Printed and electronic Forms
  · Mapping systems (topo, aerial, satellite)
  · Sexual offender database
  · Coordination and leadership for volunteer search efforts

Search and Rescue Team:
  · Activity immediately upon notification of a missing child or when requested by law enforcement     or the family of the missing child
  · Team is equipped and prepared to conduct search operations day or night in any weather condition
  · Member - National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR)

Canine Search Team:
  · Canine certified in tracking in inclement weather on multiple surface conditions
  · Certified in cadaver scent
  · Day or night operations under any weather condition

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Volunteer for The Shawn Hornbeck Foundation - How to Help

IMMEDIATE NEEDS:

· Volunteers to Search -

We are asking for volunteers to help search each and every day! Shawn is out there and we need to find him and every set of eyes helps bring him closer to home! If you can spare a few hours please volunteer to help search!!!

· Laptop Computers -

We are in need of several laptop computers so we can continue to offer our digital fingerprinting services in multiple locations! The only two requirements is that they run at least Windows 98 or newer and that they have a USB port on them.

· Mobile Command Vehicle -

We are in search of a mobile command center vehicle that we can use when we assist other families with their searches. We are looking for a larger RV that can be converted or a larger box van. We would also be interested in a large trailer instead of a vehicle. The vehicle needs to be in very good working order as our searches may be hundreds of miles from our home base.

· 3.5" Floppy Disks -

We are always looking for floppy disks that we can use for our digital fingerprinting sessions. Our software requires one disk per child so larger events can use up to 1000 disks! We want to continue to offer the fingerprinting services for FREE so any help with floppy disks would be appreciated! IBM formatted is appreciated!

· Computer Servers -

We are looking for at least 3 higher speed Intel based computer servers to the hosting of numerous Missing Child related web sites. We are developing www.alostchild.com and www.digitalfingerprinting.com to help families.

· Clean Gravel -

The Shawn Hornbeck Command Center is needing clean gravel for the driveway and for the parking lot for volunteers to be able to park on. The current lot is only mud and grass and vehicles are tearing up the ground making the outside and inside of the command center very muddy!

· Underwater Video Camera -

We are looking for an AquaVue DT underwater video camera. We have many areas that we would like to search that are underwater such as wells and rivers.

SPECIAL REQUESTS:

· Food, Soda, Water -

We are asking for a lot of non-perishable items so that we can store it without refrigeration! We will also accept other food items anytime!

· Cash Donations -

We are needing cash donations to help with expenses such as gas, phone charges, supplies, etc that are needed to be purchased rather than being donated. Every $ helps get us closer to bringing him home!!!

· UHF/VHF 2-Way Radios -

To improve communications in searches we are looking to expand our collection of UHF 2-way radios. We now have 2 of these radios and a base station and our own FCC license for the radios but we need additional ones for the team leaders during a search.

· Rock Climbing Gear -

We are in need of rock climbing equipment for our searches such as climbing and rappelling rope, hardware and harnesses. Please contact us if you may be able to help!

· Pre-Paid Cards -

We are always looking for Pre-Paid Phone and Pre-Paid Gas Cards! With the amount of traveling that is done in a search both items are always needed.

· Storage Trailer -

We are looking for a water tight storage/utility trailer. The trailer would need to be 8 foot or longer to store some of the longer equipment that we have for searches.

· Wolmanized Lumber -

We are in the process of designing a training facility for search and rescue teams, fire departments, law enforcement and more! We will need a large variety of lumber that will help to construct this facility! Please contact Chris if you are able to help...and to get more details.

· Telephone Poles -

We are needing numerous telephone poles donated and placed for us for our planned training facility. We need them in numerous lenghts from a few feet for some events to ones that will help us build a 60' rappelling tower!

· Digital Cameras -

We are looking for several 2 MegaPixel cameras that can be carried by team leaders on a search in the event they find any evidence. Also we are looking for a high-end digital camera for the foundation so we can take professional photos and enlarge them enough for displays ( Canon D-60 is desired camera ).

· Large Wooded Lot/Land -

We are looking for a large piece of land that can be donated to the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation for the construction of a Search and Rescue Training Facility in the St. Louis, Missouri area. We are looking for somewhere within 100 miles from St. Louis in either Missouri or Illinois. We would be constructing this facility for not only our use but for other Search and Rescue teams and Law Enforcement. Extra features that would be greatly appreciated would be rock climbing cliffs, lakes/ponds, fields and creeks. This will allow for greater training activities.

· Portable Laser Printers -

We are looking for several B/W laser printers that can be used for high speed flyer printing. We are looking for about 6 of them, some for the Foundation office and some for the Mobile Command truck. We are also looking for a Color Laser Printer for printing of color flyers and brochures.

· 44'' Wide Printer -

We are looking for a 44''+ wide printer/plotter. We are looking for a printer that will allow us to print very large maps and signs for when we are dispatched to a missing child case in the Mobile Command Center.

· Portable LCD Video Projector -

We are looking for a portable LCD Video Projector that we can use doing presentations at schools, events and on a missing child search. The projector needs to be able to handle computer and standard video inputs.

ADDITIONAL REQUESTS:

· Flyer Distribution -

We need help getting the word out about Shawn. We need help distributing flyers to all stores, truckstops, rest areas, and just about every place in between! If you know of an area that does not have a flyer about Shawn...PLEASE place one there for us! Thanks!

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Contact The Shawn Hornbeck Foundation

Thank you for visiting the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation web site. We invite you to contact us with any information you may have about a missing child or if you would be able to help with our search efforts.

Shawn Hornbeck Foundation
The Shawn Hornbeck Foundation 152 Lemay Ferry Rd, Suite 211 St. Louis, MO 63125	Toll-Free 866-400-5353 info@shawnhornbeckfoundation.com
( Please only use this for Support and Donation Questions Only. )

Your Name:
E-Mail:
City:
State:
How did you hear this site:

Please feel free to write any comments or questions below. We will do our very best to reply within 24 hours. Please also let us know the details on how you found the site, we are wanting to find out where the info is being delivered to.

[SuziQ]

I didn't realize that Shawn's mother was married to someone who is not his father. I don't know how long they'd been married when Shawn was taken, but this is something that Devlin could have used to keep Shawn with him.

If Shawn had any doubts about how much his mother still wanted him around, or if there were any question in his mind about whether or not the man she married truly WANTED Shawn as a son, even if they had been discussing the step-father's adoption of the boy, the perp could easily have exploited that.

Devlin could have heard on the news, after taking Shawn, about the mother and step-father and worked on the boy's mind, feeding him doubts to the point where the kid could have been largely convinced they wouldn't care if he never came back, and thus never tried to get away. But he might still have had some lingering doubt; maybe that's the reason behind the cryptic question on the Foundation's blog asking when they would stop looking for their son.

[Txsleuth]

Yes...this is something that we may find out...I guess during a trial, maybe...what this Devlin guy did to keep Shawn with him all of these years...

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

It would seem that the lingering doubt is OVER. Craig Akers indicated in the press conference that Shawn initiated the request to continue the adoption. Mr. Akers also indicated to the press that to "not be surprised if Shawn will soon go by the name of Shawn Akers" (paraphrasing a bit here).

[stlnative]

Richwoods MO is a very small town (pop. 2000) but they have their own township US Post Office. The family still lives in Richwoods MO and the Postal Clerk there will deliver the mail to them.

You can simply send your cards or direct family non-cash donations to either address below:

Shawn Hornbeck/Akers Family
Richwoods MO 63071

Richwoods Missouri Postmaster
c/o Shawn Hornbeck/Akers Family
11218 State Highway A
Richwoods MO 63071

The family address can also be found as it is in public domain by going through www.zabasearch.com and entering Craig Akers and picking Missouri and finding the sole listing for Craig Akers in Richwoods MO - DO NOT POST THEIR HOME ADDRESS ON THIS PUBLIC FORM

[SuziQ]

I didn't see the conference; have only read about it here, but it sounds like Mr. Akers is a stand up guy! I was only saying that, while Shawn was away from them, it could have been easy for the perp to sow doubts.

If that had happened, Shawn knows now how it was all lies.

[benjibrowder]

I think that first comment was made by the perv himself, and the other Shawn. I'm wondering if this helped him, to know that there were people still looking for him...

On that note, prayers for the families of both boys. This is beyond belief. One family to contend with a possible loss for four days, and another four years. Their prayers have finally been answered. As for Mitchell, I'm sure he's feeling like a god right now, this is something that will stay with him for the rest of his life (the knowledge he just saved two boys). As for Ownby and Hornbeck, may they recover and be blessed with no more pain.

Devlin should pay for the life he stole from Shawn.

[stlnative]

NOTE TO CLARIFY

THIS ADDRESS IS TO THE RICHWOODS MISSOURI US POST OFFICE and it is NOT the family's home address.

Richwoods Missouri Postmaster
c/o Shawn Hornbeck/Akers Family
11218 State Highway A
Richwoods MO 63071

[OldFriend]

Dont' know. He was being interviewed by Greta. It was pouring rain and neither heard the other very well.

He took a lie detector test with the agreement of his mom so I am sure everything he said checked out. He also showed the police tire tracks where the truck turned around.

The boy is quite the hero! Thankfully, it was a young man with a new drivers' license who knows trucks. If it was an old lady like me I'd have noticed only the color. Wouldn't have recognized anything else!

[OldFriend]

Thanks for the details of the boy's interview with Greta. I couldn't quite hear the details.