Missing Girl Found - Erica Pratt

FoxNews | 07/23/02 | self

[Brytani]

Fox News just reported that kidnapped girl Erica Pratt has been found and is safe. Police are still investigating the kidnapping and ransom demand. More news to follow.

[Concerto in D]

I think she is the one who was found in Seattle either today or last night. I believe the news said she was a runaway.

[cmsgop]

Has anyone heard anything more about the 16yr old girl in I believe it was Oregon who is missing after she went jogging?

They found her in West Seattle, She's Okay....

[Brytani]

Fantastic - this makes two for two.

[hole_n_one]

Tue Jul 23, 7:10 PM ET

Edward Johnson in this undated Philadelphia police mugshot released Tuesday, July 23, 2002, in Philadelphia, along with James Burns, is wanted by Philadelphia police for questioning in the kidnapping of Erica Pratt, 7. Witnesses told police the girl was kidnapped, kicking and screaming, from a street corner Monday night. (AP Photo/Philadelphia Police Dept.)

Tue Jul 23, 7:11 PM ET

James Burns is shown in a photo released Tuesday, July 23, 2002, by Philadelphia police. Burns and Edward Johnson are wanted by Philadelphia police for questioning in the disappearance of 7-year-old Erica Pratt. Witnesses said Erica was snatched, kicking and screaming, from in front of her home Monday night in southwest Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Philadelphia Police Handout)

[Catspaw]

Oh, thank God one of our children was returned alive!

Now let's find the slimeballs that took this child and punish them....I can't describe how harshly these creeps need to be punished or I'll get banned.

[Shermy]

Any word on what their prior crimes were (I'm assuming). Burns looks like he was just rolled in on a DWI or drug charge.

[RCW2001]

Good news bump...!

[homeschool mama]

What goes unmentioned is completely understandable and agreed on.

[sarasmom]

BTTT

Thank God for this one found alive.May HE stick around for the next....

[Semper911]

This sounds to me like some cockamamie extortion scheme by a few bumbling idiots. It won't take long to find these guys.

The mom was in on the scheme. There's no doubt about it. Did you see her statement for the cameras? She was about as emotional as someone who lost her sunglasses.

[Shermy]

Thinking about what I said here and on another line, the guy Ricci in the Utah case has a regular "con" look to him, and in his eyes. A little surprised when I first saw him since it doesn't seem to be a ransom situation like this one. Goes to show what appearances are worth - not much.

[Brytani]

I hate to say it but I have to agree with you on this point. I was struck by her lack of emotion, how she attempted to chastise the kidnappers seemingly like she knew them.

I hope I'm wrong on my feeling, time will tell.

[jaz.357]

I thought the same thing...no emotion.

[dalebert]

THink they found her ok.

[Hot Tabasco]

My take on this is the mother of the child was involved in some way. She was too nonchalant and kept misstating the ransom figures. Remember, the child was living with the grandmother of the father of the child.

Nothing more than to garner sympathy and dollars from an idiotic citizenry . The mother and her buddies should be jailed for stupidity not kidnapping.....

[Bahbah]

This is such great news.

[livius]

They look like charmers. I hope they get the book thrown at them. Whatever the child's family was like and whatever their connections (if any) with these men, this poor little girl had no responsbility for it, and she must have been terrified. Not that these guys look as if they would care.

[Catspaw]

One can only hope that the police in Philly do as thorough a job as Sheriff Carona in Samantha Runnion's case, but I have serious doubts.

[Shermy]

So much for my theory that they let her go on purpose, though they may have left her in a different fashion.

Children Rescue Kidnapped Philadelphia Girl

PHILADELPHIA -- In a remarkable story, a group of children rescued 7-year-old Erica Pratt by breaking into the house where she was held for over 22 hours.

Lt. Michael Chitwood of the Philadelphia police said that Pratt had been tied up in a house at 1205 Louden Street. She somehow was able to get loose and started yelling for help. A group of children got onto the porch and broke a window to get her out.

She was taken to Children's Hospital for evaluation and hospital officials said she was in good condition.

Police said Tuesday afternoon that they were looking for two men they believed may have information regarding the circumstances surrounding Erica's disappearance. ...(snip)

[marvlus]

Man is it uncanny or what? That lower picture sure looks like Gary Payton of the Seattle Supersonics to me...