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Shawn Hornbeck's family looks to step out of spotlight
belleville.com ^ | 1/24/07

Posted on 01/24/2007 8:24:19 AM PST by Halls

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. - Shawn Hornbeck's parents hope "to step out of the spotlight" to focus on their abducted son's healing now that he has returned home.

That plan to take a lower profile was announced Tuesday during a news conference, as a suburban St. Louis homebuilder detailed plans to build a new house for Shawn and his parents, Craig and Pam Akers. The home will include office space for the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation, which Shawn's parents began as a means to aid in the search for missing kids soon after Shawn disappeared in 2002.

(Excerpt) Read more at belleville.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Missouri
KEYWORDS: devlin; hornbeck; shawnhornbeck
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To: ishabibble

So your point is that Hornbeck was forced to aid in the abduction of Ownby. And?


41 posted on 01/24/2007 8:58:31 AM PST by soccermom
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To: soccermom
Yes, exclusively on Oprah for NO MONEY! Sheesh!

Then why put your kid who has been abducted for 4 years and has gone thru only God knows what on an exploitive talk show so soon after he was returned to you? Fame? $$$? Stupidity, or all three?

42 posted on 01/24/2007 8:58:59 AM PST by frogjerk (REUTERS: We give smoke and mirrors a bad name)
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Comment #43 Removed by Moderator

To: SpringheelJack

Consider how much media there is in the US, the world. I imagine, despite their efforts to address everyone once and for all, their phone, etc., is being hit nonstop with requests.

They are asking the media to stop. What else can they do? They tried to get it over with, but no one will leave them alone.


44 posted on 01/24/2007 9:00:13 AM PST by ican'tbelieveit (Join FreeRepublic's Folding@Home team (Team# 36120), KW:Folding)
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To: Halls

What, after Oprah bought them all those new teeth? Well, they should have kept a lower profile in the first place. The world didn't need to see what pain the kid was going through, especially now that it has come out that Shawn helped kidnap the other boy.

This court case is going to be painful for everyone. It's too bad for the boys that it has to be in a court room at all.


45 posted on 01/24/2007 9:00:22 AM PST by Eva
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To: Halls

thanks, did not know that


46 posted on 01/24/2007 9:01:14 AM PST by nascarnation
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To: BurtSB

Your accusations are unfounded rumors.


47 posted on 01/24/2007 9:01:21 AM PST by BonneBlue
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To: Halls
Them putting their son on Oprah is nothing compared to the hell that child has gone through int he last 4 years.

And they sure was respecting that hell by putting him on oprah, for a ghoulish piece.

48 posted on 01/24/2007 9:01:45 AM PST by org.whodat (Never let the facts get in the way of a good assumption.)
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To: Spok

Their situation and desire to find their son put them in the public arena. Now, the media won't leave them alone. What are they supposed to do?

You criticize them for addressing all of the lookers and questioners. When that is done, they are still being pestered. So they come out again and ask for privacy and you criticize them.


49 posted on 01/24/2007 9:02:03 AM PST by ican'tbelieveit (Join FreeRepublic's Folding@Home team (Team# 36120), KW:Folding)
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To: ishabibble

nevermind that we don't deserve alll the facts and the DA and Sheriff knows all the facts and have stated in fact that Shawn was a victim and that we need to educate ourselves!

I chose to believe them rather than come to my own conclusions. I chose to think about it and educate myself and not to point the finger at Shawn. The DA knows the facts, and we don't! I choose to trust them in this!

Maybe you need to educate yourself and get smart about this instead of drawing your own conclusions!


50 posted on 01/24/2007 9:02:14 AM PST by Halls (Please take time out to look at pictures of missing children and help get them home!)
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To: D-Chivas

And telling the world that Shawn was sexually molested even though they are just going by "statistics".....Oprah shouldn't have asked and the Akers should have told her "no comment". Evidently, before agreeing to interviews, the Akers had a list of topics that were off limits to ask. If, during the interview, these things were asked, something like $100,000 had to be donated to the foundation. Wether Shawn was sexually abused should have topped that list!

Personally, I found the whole media tour distasteful. But as one "expert" said....who can say no to OPRAH?? gag


51 posted on 01/24/2007 9:02:25 AM PST by Jrabbit ('scuse me??)
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To: ishabibble

Well, heres the actual headline:

Police: Shawn Hornbeck forced to help in Ownby kidnapping


52 posted on 01/24/2007 9:02:39 AM PST by John W
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To: ican'tbelieveit
Please see post #31 in this thread. It is my reply to Halls. In no way am I denigrating what happened to Shawn Hornbeck, or the people here who have stood up for him.
If you look back into the threads from the day after Shawn and Ben were recovered, you will see that the only thing I posted was to the effect that I know parents of missing boys who were murdered. I believe I called them "walking ghosts" and stated that I was very happy for both families.

Personal attacks here are not going to change anything about the facts in this case. Since Shawn is identified as being an accomplice to the kidnapping of Ben, I would like know more about this aspect. That is all I am saying.
53 posted on 01/24/2007 9:03:20 AM PST by ishabibble (ALL-AMERICAN INFIDEL)
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To: Types_with_Fist

NOPE, your the liar, the family never appeared on FOX as you just said they did!

get the facts you idiot!


54 posted on 01/24/2007 9:03:28 AM PST by Halls (Please take time out to look at pictures of missing children and help get them home!)
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To: Xenalyte

Look, they've explained this countless times. They chose to go with Oprah Winfery because they wanted to reach the widest audience to address the questions, help other missing kids and then be done with it. Other outlets offered the Akers big bucks to go exclusively with them. Instead, they chose to take NO money, because they felt it was more important to get the message out and then withdraw. If the Akers had chosen to refuse all interviews, the jackals who are already willing to think the worst of Shawn would say that their silence was validation. I don't know for sure, but I assume the other reason they went with Oprah is because she, as the victim of molestation, can empathize.


55 posted on 01/24/2007 9:03:35 AM PST by soccermom
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To: ishabibble

Person's who become fascinated, some would say fixated, on a media event such as this abduction story have either a screw loose or no life whatsoever. Possibly both.

It's one thing to say, "wow, that's an incredible story." It's a whole other bag of tricks to become emotionally invested in the story to the point that the person is getting angry at web posters who disagree with them.

I'm sure, but want to leave no room for doubt that you understand, I'm not speaking of you with these remarks.


56 posted on 01/24/2007 9:04:20 AM PST by TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig (Life is tough. It's even tougher when you're stupid.)
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To: Eva

there was no new teeth! Craig Aker's missing teeth were still missing in the Oprah interview.


57 posted on 01/24/2007 9:04:46 AM PST by Halls (Please take time out to look at pictures of missing children and help get them home!)
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To: nascarnation

IIRC, she didn't "pay" for the interview. But, she did donate $100,000 to the foundation.


58 posted on 01/24/2007 9:05:23 AM PST by Jrabbit ('scuse me??)
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To: Xenalyte
Someone should gently inform you that this bashing and second-guessing of Shawn and his parents does him FAR more damage than any appearance on Oprah. I can in fact see that there could be some healing in that process of doing interviews and the support they get from others, but there's no redeeming value in your criticism of the choices they are making. It is obvious they love their child. It is also obvious that there are many sicko individuals who will bash the victim and his family no matter what.
59 posted on 01/24/2007 9:05:33 AM PST by TruthSetsUFree
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To: org.whodat

actually, it was Shawn's decision to go on Oprah. They let him make that decision after Oprah asked them to come on the show. he decided he just wanted the get the media stuff over with, otherwise they would be hounding him till he talked and he didn't want that.


60 posted on 01/24/2007 9:06:14 AM PST by Halls (Please take time out to look at pictures of missing children and help get them home!)
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