Heaven LaShae Ross 11yrs old missing

[johnny]

http://www.wvua7.com/news.html


This is very similar to the way Tabitha Tuders came up missing and she has the exact same hair, smile, weight and close to the same height.

[johnny]

Northport girl goes missing: Northport law enforcement officials need your help in locating a missing girl. The girl was reported missing this morning when she did not join her older sister who was waiting for her at the bus stop in the Hunter Creek Road area. Now investigators need your help in locating 11 year old Heaven Lashne Ross. Ross is described as a white female 4 foot 6 inches tall, weighing 100 pounds, with red hair. She was last seen wearing a pink outfit. If you have information that can help officials locate the girl, please call the Northport Police Department at 339-6600.

[johnny]

View Poster

Case Handled By:

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

HEAVEN LASHAE ROSS
Case Type:
DOB: Jun 11, 1992 Sex: Female
Missing Date: Aug 19, 2003 Race: White
Age Now: 11 Height: 4'6" (137 cm)
Missing City: NORTHPORT Weight: 100 lbs (45 kg)
Missing State : AL Hair Color: Red
Missing Country: United States Eye Color: Brown

Case Number: NCMC970206
Circumstances: Heaven was last seen at home around 7:03 a.m. on August 19, 2003. She left home to walk a few blocks to the bus stop and never arrived. Heaven has several moles around her mouth and her ears are pierced. She was last seen wearing a hot pink shirt with "brat" on the front, hot pink shorts with "brat" across the back, and light blue suede tennis shoes. Heaven may go by the nickname Shae.

http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=viewChildDetail&caseNum=970206&orgPrefix=NCMC&seqNum=1&caseLang=en_US&searchLang=en_US

[johnny]

Girl still missing; FBI joins search

By Stephanie Taylor
Staff Writer
August 21, 2003

Email this story.


Heaven Lashae Ross did not show up at the bus stop before school Tuesday morning.

• Discuss this story
• Police search for missing girl



NORTHPORT | Family, friends and police came and went Wednesday, but no one brought the news Beth Lowery was waiting to hear. Lowery sat in the parking lot of her mobile home in Willowbrook Trailer Park for hours, hoping that the youngest of her three children would return.

Last seen by family members at 7 a.m. Tuesday, Heaven LaShae Ross, 11, disappeared somewhere between her home and a bus stop about 50 yards away on Hunter Creek Road.

“It’s like a black hole opened up and swallowed her," said family friend Debbie Rogers.

Lowery said her daughter was abducted and wondered why police had not issued an AMBER alert. Although Shae had not been seen for more than a day, police had not issued an alert as of Wednesday night.

“I don’t think that’s fair that my baby’s missing and they won’t issue an alert," Lowery said. “My baby was abducted. My baby was kidnapped."

Northport Police Sgt. Kerry Card said Wednesday night that police were investigating Shae’s disappearance as a missing person case, not a kidnapping.

“There’s not enough to lead us to that conclusion," he said. “At this time, there’s not enough evidence or probable cause to indicate that this could be an abduction."

AMBER is the communications system that enables law enforcement to use broadcast media to quickly notify the public of a missing child.

Tuscaloosa Police Department Capt. David Hartin said that an AMBER alert had not been issued because the case did not meet the requirements, which include knowledge that the child is in physical danger and having a good description of a kidnapper or vehicle.

However, dozens of officers from the Northport and Tuscaloosa police departments, the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI were assigned to work on finding Shae Wednesday.

Card said that FBI agents became involved with the case Wednesday. Family members said the agents were reviewing a surveillance tape from nearby Steve’s Grill & Billiards that would have shown any vehicles in the area of the bus stop. Card said he could not comment when asked about the tape.

Shae’s sister, Alex Ross, 13, had been waiting at the bus stop Tuesday morning and said her sister never made it there. She knew something was wrong when her mother’s boyfriend, who she said the girls think of as their father, showed up to give them a ride to school because it was about to rain.

“She usually walks with someone else. I left a few minutes ahead of her. I didn’t think anything was wrong until they came and got me and didn’t know where she was," Alex said.

Everyone who had gathered at the home Wednesday comforted Lowery as they watched police move from door to door, re-interviewing the neighbors they had talked to the previous day. A team of police officers from every agency in the county permeated the neighborhood.

When asked whether police were questioning anyone in particular, or any sex offenders in the area, Card said police were talking to everyone in the vicinity.

“We’re not excluding anyone. We’re questioning everyone in the area," he said.

Shae’s aunt, Frances Taylor, said she believes that someone Shae knew offered her a ride and she accepted because of the bad weather.

“It had to have been someone she knew. She is under her mama and daddy all the time. She’s always been like that. At parties, we’ll say go play with the kids, but she’d rather be with the adults and near her parents," she said.

Like her aunt, many others who know Shae said it would have been uncharacteristic of the Collins-Riverside Middle School sixth-grader to run away or skip school.

“She’s the baby. She wouldn’t do anything like that," Alex said.

“This is just not something she would do," said Debbie Rogers. “She spent the night with my daughter and wanted to go home."

After a night of pacing and worrying, Lowery was able to take a short nap from 7:30 a.m. until 8 a.m. Wednesday.

“I just feel like it isn’t real. I feel like this isn’t happening to me," she said.

Police patrol cars and unmarked Ford Crown Victorias belonging to plainclothes investigators cruised the streets Wednesday, offering some comfort to the panicked mother.

“It’s good to see them out here. I know that they’re working on finding her," Lowery said.

Shae was wearing a pink out-fit with “Brat" on both the shirt and shorts. She has red hair, is 4 feet 6 inches tall and weighs about 100 pounds.

Police have asked anyone who has seen Shae to call the Northport Police Department at 339-6600 or Crime Stoppers at 752-STOP (7867).

Reach Stephanie Taylor at 722-0210 or stephanie.taylor@tuscaloosanews.com.

[johnny]

Public’s help sought to find missing girl


Staff Report, The Gazette

http://www.northportgazette.com/topstories/article.nhtml?uid=10619

Investigators are requesting the public’s help in finding an 11-year-old girl who was last seen Tuesday morning near Hunter Creek Road in Northport.

Heaven Lashne Ross, a student at Riverside Jr. High School, was last seen around 7 a.m. Tuesday morning while walking to meet her sister at a bus stop near the entrance of Willowbrook. She never arrived at the bus stop or at the school.

Ross is described as having a light complexion and red hair. She is 4’6” and 100 pounds. She was last seen wearing a pink outfit with the word “Brat” on the shorts and shirt.

Anyone with any information can call the Northport Police Department at 339-6600 or Crime Stoppers at 752-STOP (7867).

E-mail This Story to a Friend...

[johnny]

Support pours in for family of missing girl
Mother expresses frustration at lack of AMBER alert

By Stephanie Taylor
Staff Writer
August 22, 2003

Email this story.


Vickey Smalley holds Beth Lowery as she prays for the return of Lowery’s daughter, Heaven LaShae Ross. Ross is the 11 year-old girl who turned up missing after leaving her house for the bus stop on Tuesday morning.
Staff Photo | Robert Sutton

• Discuss this story


NORTHPORT | Day three of the search for a missing 11-year-old girl has turned up no clues about where she could be, police said Thursday. When the bus to Collins-Riverside Middle School stopped in front of Willowbrook Trailer Park Thursday morning, Heaven LaShae Ross had been missing for 48 hours.

She was last seen Tuesday morning leaving the trailer park for her bus stop about 50 yards away on Hunter Creek Road.

Police set up roadblocks between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Thursday on Hunter Creek Road, asking drivers if they had seen Shae and handing out fliers.

As news about the sixth-grader’s mysterious disappearance has spread across the country, people in the Northport and Tuscaloosa communities have reached out to the family that is desperately waiting for good news.

“My baby’s been gone for nearly 72 hours. I just don’t think it’s fair that they won’t give her an AMBER alert," said Shae’s mother, Beth Lowery.

Police maintained on Thursday that their investigation has not turned up evidence that Shae is in danger, one of the requirements necessary for an AMBER alert.

“At this time, we cannot confirm that an abduction has occurred," said Northport Police Sgt. Kerry Card. “Until that happens, if that should happen, an AMBER alert cannot be issued."

Card said that the lead investigator in a case would be the person authorized to issue an alert through the statewide AMBER Alert system, which enables law enforcement and the media to quickly notify the public about an abducted child.

The lead investigator in the case is Terry Carroll, a Northport officer in the joint Northport-Tuscaloosa juvenile division.

Even without the AMBER alert, word of Shae’s disappearance spread quickly in the community. Volunteers posted fliers donated by local printing companies at businesses all over the area. Some businesses are collecting donations to be used for reward money for information.

The teachers at Collins-Riverside Middle School posted fliers and banners in Northport and had students write notes to Shae on some of them. Counselors were in classrooms Thursday, talking with students about their classmate’s disappearance.

“We’re all just hoping for the best outcome here," said Principal Glenn Taylor. “We’ve all been very, very concerned. Our thoughts and prayers are very much with her family. One of the students made the comment that it’s just not fair that we’re able to be here at school, and she’s not, wherever she might be."

Winn-Dixie in Northport donated yellow ribbons that searchers and family members wore for Shae. The family was sitting outside their home at Willowbrook Trailer Park Thursday, inside two screen tents that a church had provided to shield them from the sun.

Buddy’s Food Mart has offered a $5,000 reward to anyone responsible for Shae’s safe return to her parents, Tuscaloosa Police Chief Ken Swindle said Thursday.

Olive Garden employees brought by food, K-mart brought snacks, Kinko’s, Office Max and Kwik Kopy ran off fliers and Home Depot donated ink jets for printing. Many other neighbors and concerned people brought by food, drinks and words of encouragement.

Inside one of the tents, the family watched news updates on a television that had been brought outside and talked with the constant stream of friends and neighbors who were stopping by.

A videographer working for Dateline NBC followed Lowery’s boyfriend, Kevin Thompson, as he passed out fliers in Northport.

Shae’s photo and information was added to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children list Tuesday. Card said that the organization has distributed 33,000 fliers across the country.

Investigators were working through lunch Thursday at a command center set up at the Northport Police Department.

“We’ve received sightings of children who fit this description from quite a number of states," Card said.

FBI agents were still working to enhance a videotape obtained from Steve’s Grill & Billiards Wednesday, Card said. The camera was facing the bus stop and could reveal clues about traffic on Hunter Creek Road Tuesday morning.

Shae is one of the 18 missing kids from Alabama in the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Web site. Most of those are runaways or are known to have been abducted by family members.

At least two abductions from bus stops have been reported in the South in the last few months.

Johnny White of Nashville, Tenn., is the head of a task force formed to find 13-year-old Tabitha Tuder, who disappeared there on April 29.

Their disappearances are strikingly similar, White said, adding that his group is considering traveling to Northport to assist in the search for Shae.

Both girls were last seen on a Tuesday at 7 a.m. at their bus stops. They have the same hair color and style, freckles and were even wearing the same color shirt in their school photos.

White said that Tabitha’s family and friends were frustrated when an AMBER alert was not issued and that police were treating the case as if Tabitha had run away. It was only recently that the FBI and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation became involved, he said.

“We believe that she was stalked," he said. “It may be someone that she would have recognized, but didn’t know, someone who was familiar with the area. They groom’ their victims, watch them, maybe say even, for months before they actually strike."

Maria Isabel Solis, 16, disappeared in Houston on March 3 at a bus stop. Since then, police have found a woman’s boot but no sign of the girl.

Reach Stephanie Taylor at 722-0210 or stephanie.taylor@tuscaloosanews.com

[johnny]

It looks like a group of Volunteers from our Team Tabitha (Tuders)will be going down to help assist in the search for Shea tomorrow 8-23-03 I don't know what all we can do but at least we'll show our support.

Wish us luck and Pray for Shea, Tabitha, and the other missing children.

[johnny]

Northport girl still missing after three days
By Heather Henderson
Metro/State Editor
August 22, 2003


Police continue to probe for information on the whereabouts of a Northport girl missing since Tuesday morning.

Heaven LaShae Ross, 11, a student at Collins-Riverside Middle School, was last seen walking to a bus stop on Hunter Creek Road at the entrance to Willowbrook. She was supposed to join her 13-year-old sister at the stop, but they never crossed paths.

Sgt. Kerry Card with the Northport Police Department said a task team composed of Northport and Tuscaloosa police officers, Tuscaloosa County sheriff's deputies, the Alabama Bureau of Investigation and the FBI are working around the clock to find any sign of "Shae."

Task force members spent the day Thursday following up leads received by phone. They have questioned residents of Willowbrook Trailer Park where Shae lives, as well as businesses near the area from which she disappeared. The Tuscaloosa police helicopter scanned the region while the task force and tracking dogs searched woods near the area Shae was last seen, Card said.

In addition, police set up a roadblock Thursday morning on Hunter Creek Road to hand out missing person fliers and to check cars for any signs of the sixth-grader.

"We haven't ruled out any scenario," Card said, and added that at this point investigators have not confirmed that an abduction occurred, or if a stranger or an acquaintance was involved.

Asked if questioning is being focused on known sex offenders in the area, Card said everyone is being questioned.

"All of that has been investigated," he said.

Card said the disappearance will not trigger an AMBER alert, an alert system designed to send immediate information to the public when a child is abducted.

Guidelines for an AMBER alert include confirmation that an abduction has taken place, evidence the child is in immediate danger of serious injury or death, as well as information about a suspect, vehicle or car tag, Card said.

No such information is available about Shae's disappearance.

"It's like a black hole opened up and swallowed her," Debbie Rogers, a Ross family friend, said in a Wednesday interview with The Tuscaloosa News.

According to information provided by the Tuscaloosa Police Department, Shae is a white girl with fair skin, red hair and brown eyes. She is 4 feet 6 inches tall, 80 pounds and was last seen wearing a hot pink shirt with "Bratz" printed on the front, capri shorts with "Bratz" printed across the back and light blue suede tennis shoes.

Buddy's Food Mart is offering a $5,000 reward for Shae's safe return.

Anyone with information that could lead to her recovery should call the Northport Police Department at 339-6600, Metro Juvenile Division at 349-0445 or Crime Stoppers at 752-7867

[johnny]

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is now helping Northport police find a missing girl. It’s been 34 hours since her parents have seen Heaven Lashae Ross and they are demanding an Amber Alert be issued.

Heaven Lasheae Ross, known as Shae by family and friends, never showed up at a Riverside Junior High School yesterday morning. She was last seen around 7:00 a.m. walking between mobile home units to the bus stop on Hunter Creek Road. “Her father left at about 7:06 to go get ‘em because it started raining and the baby didn’t make it to the bus stop,” said Beth Lowery, Shae’s mother.

Lowery says investigators told her they are working on some new leads and police say the FBI is helping create a profile of her abductor. Beth Lower says she want police to issue an Amber Alert. “I don't think it's fair that my baby can't get an Amber Alert and she's been abducted,” said Lowery. She said police told her it doesn’t meet the two of the criteria for an Amber Alert. “They don’t think she’s in immediate danger, we don’t have a suspect, but my child was abducted from this trailer park,” said

[Babcat]

She's not in "immediate danger". If she was abducted she's dead.:mad:

Alabama ought to have the snot slapped out of them. I have an eleven-year-old and if she was missing they would release an Amber Alert if it had to be done at gunpoint! :D

I haven't yet looked at a picture of Tabitha Tudors but this little girl looks almost identical to my daughter's best friend who is also eleven! Are girls that look like this disappearing from more states than Alabama? Because if they are I'm actually going to alert this girl's father... that is how much she looks like this little girl.

Since the man they call "dad" is not actually their dad, I wonder if they have attempted to locate her natural father and see if he took the child.

[johnny]

I just expressed those sentiments about this eleven year old girl, she is in danger, she is out of her circle of family and friends.

Type in Bus stop abductions for search and see for yourself how many children are abducted or attempted. Also try bus stop kidnappings.

[Ghostwheel]

OK, that's creepy. That's the exact same hairstyle as Tabitha, and the same length.

Now to find out how far this is from where Tabitha went missing.....

Babcat, I'd tell the dad of your daughter's friend, anyway. Ted Bundy went from one end of the country to the other.

[wwwxxyyzz]

Something needs to change in the laws of the Amber Alert. This is ridiculous! If a child is not with their parents, whether that be a runaway or abduction, it simply DOES NOT matter they still aren't with their parents where they should be!! This is absolutely WRONG! These babies need every opportunity available to them to be brought home safely. UGHH!! :fuming: It just makes me sick...why do more innocents have to be taken before laws change?! Children need our protection why does that have to be so difficult to give to them?! :dontknow:

I'm praying for little Shae and for all those not with their mommies/daddies. It just breaks my heart....there's far too many. :(

[Babcat]

I believe there DOES need to be limitations on the Amber Alert. I have always believed this. My rationalization on this is the sheer number of children that come up missing each year. The numbers are staggering. If an Amber Alert was issued for EVERY SINGLE CHILD they would become so commonplace that motorists and others would become immune to their presence and simply learn to ignore them, which would defeat the purpose of the system. It is a classic case of "desensitization" and "conditioned response".

A huge percentage of these missing kids are KNOWN to have been taken as "Custodial Interference" or "Family Abduction". Even though this is against the law, in most cases the custodial parent would agree that the children are in no danger from the other parent. MOST parents sue for custody because they simply want their children, and feel they are the primary parent... not because the other parent is dangerous.

But in cases where no evidence exists that the non custodial parent:


had made threats to take the children
had filed any court motions for custody review
are known to have abused the children while the marriage was intact
have a restraining order against them
are known to have been in the area


or... where some of these circumstances may exist but police have checked into it and confirmed an alibi...

an Amber Alert SHOULD be issued as soon after the disappearance as is practical, REGARDLESS of the police department's suspicions and hunches regarding the missing child. This is especially true if the child is less than 15 years of age.

Statistics will tell us that runaways, and children who willingly go with a person they know, are in just as much danger as children who are snatched by strangers. "Stranger on stranger" child deaths make up only a small percentage of the whole... and a great majority of children are killed by someone they know (though most of these killers are NOT members of the child's immediate family).

The need to have a description of the abductor or his vehicle requires the presence of eye witnesses, something skilled abductors successfully seek to avoid. Just getting the child's picture out there would be a tremendous help. Someone attempting to flee in a vehicle eventually has to get gas, has to use a public restroom, or is likely to be seen taking a child into his residence. The photo of the child broadcast to the masses could significantly put a dent in the number of successful abductions that end badly.

[johnny]

search for missing girl
Reward money surpasses $60,000

By Scott Parrott
Staff Writer
August 24, 2003

Email this story.


Members of the Tuders family gather Saturday morning at the search headquarters for 11-year-old Heaven LaShae Ross, who disappeared from Northport last Tuesday on her way to her school bus stop. In the center is Debra Tuders of Nashville, whose daughter, 13-year-old Tabitha, disappeared in a similar case April 29. The Tuders family said they wanted to join the search for Ross because so many people came to help them search for Tabitha after her disappearance.
Photo | Carmen Sisson

• Discuss this story


Members of the Texas-based Laura Recovery Center joined the search Saturday for Heaven LaShae Ross, dispatching more than 60 people to comb areas in Northport and Tuscaloosa for any signs of the missing 11-year-old.

But as evening came, and the final teams returned from the field, there was still no clue about what happened to Shae, who disappeared Tuesday while walking to her school bus stop.

A neighbor last saw Shae on Hunter Creek Road at about 7 a.m. Tuesday. The bus stop is on that road, not far from her home in Willowbrook Trailer Park in Northport. She is the daughter of Beth Lowery.

Police investigators also had not uncovered any leads in the case, authorities said Saturday.

Meanwhile, a $50,000 reward was offered Saturday by a private donor for the girl’s safe return ó bringing the total reward to more than $60,000 ó and search organizers said they still need more volunteers.

“We’re trying to cover as much ground as possible," said Gay Smither, co-founder of Laura Recovery Center, a national organization that helps families find missing children. “Even if someone comes and does one search, that would allow us to cover one more area that we wouldn’t have."

Smither and Bob Walcutt, the executive director of LRC, flew to Alabama early Saturday morning at the request of Shae’s family. During the next few days, they will train and dispatch searchers, then step away, Smither said.

“We hope to leave the search in the capable hands of this community, where it belongs," she said.

While some volunteers searched from early morning until night, others made fliers inside the makeshift search headquarters at 1439 McFarland Blvd., the former Gateway computer building. More than 40,000 missing-person posters, with a photo of the missing brown-eyed, red-haired girl, have been distributed. Anyone who wants to help in the search, or has any information about Shae, should call (205) 752-0383.

“We rely on the community and the volunteers, and we’ve never been let down," Walcutt said.

Laura Recovery Center trains volunteers and helps organize searches. The foundation has helped with several national cases, including that of Elizabeth Smart in Utah.

The group debriefs searchers upon their return and passes any information it gets to law enforcement, Walcutt said.

“We are searchers," he said. “We’re not police, we’re not detectives. Our job is to simply come in and help find this missing child."

Police investigators are attempting to check every lead. Many calls have come in from Alabama and other states from people who think they might have information about Shae.

A K-9 team from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office in Florida aided the investigation Saturday, as did a police helicopter that surveyed the area surrounding where the disappearance occurred, said Sgt. Kerry Card of the Northport Police Department.

Investigators have turned up very little that could guide the case in one direction or the other, Card said.

“We’re still at ground zero," he said.

The parents of a Nashville, Tenn., girl who disappeared April 29 visited Shae’s family Saturday to offer their support.

Investigators are talking about possible links between the cases of Shae and the missing Nashville girl, 13-year-old Tabitha Tuders. Although both girls look similar and vanished while walking to a school bus, no connection has been made between the cases.

Reach Scott Parrott at scott.parrott@tuscaloosanews.com or 722-0200.

[johnny]

Tuderses provide comfort to family



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By HOLLY EDWARDS
Staff Writer

The mother of a missing 11-year-old girl in Northport, Ala., said yesterday that it was both comforting and painful to meet with the family of Tabitha Tuders, the 13-year-old east Nashville girl missing since April 29.

Tabitha's parents, Bo and Debra Tuders, went to Alabama yesterday to meet with the mother of Heaven LaShea Ross, who disappeared Tuesday between her home and a school bus stop about 50 yards away.

The Tuders family was not available yesterday to discuss the journey.

Investigators in Nashville and Alabama have been discussing similarities between the cases, and exploring the possibility that the cases are linked, said Sgt. Kerry Card of the Northport Police Department.

Both girls have fair skin and light hair, they are similar in age, and both disappeared on the way to a school bus stop, Card said in a telephone interview.

Heaven's mother, Beth Lowery, said the similarities between the cases were striking but said the distance between the disappearances — about 250 miles — had led her to doubt any connection.

''Part of me wants to say yes, there's a connection, and part of me wants to say no,'' Lowery said. ''But it was a comfort to see the family and talk about what they've been through. I let them do my TV interviews for me, because people down here don't know what happened to their daughter.''

The other similarity between the cases is that both have been classified as missing persons, not abductions. Because there are no suspects or witnesses in either case, police in both states have said they cannot issue an Amber Alert, a program that signals the state's law enforcement agencies, media outlets and the public with specific details about a child thought to be endangered and missing.

''We have to have some evidence that the child is in imminent danger of serious injury or death and we have to provide a description of the person or vehicle seen near the abduction,'' Card said.

Canine units and dozens of Northport and Tuscaloosa police officers joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Alabama Bureau of Investigation in searching for Heaven yesterday, but no trace of the child had been found by late afternoon. More than 100 community members also joined the search, Card said.

[Babcat]

If it weren't for the fact that I have my location listed (and most people know my full name) I would post a link to a picture of my daughter's best friend. It would literally give you "shivers" to see the resemblance. When I first saw the picture of Heaven I almost fell off my chair. :eek:

[AussieSim]

I wonder if there is a connection.

How wonderful that Tabithas parents have been comforting Heaven's parents.

I hope the Perp is caught ASAP.

Babcat, tell your friend, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Aussie

[wwwxxyyzz]

Babcat,

You make some excellent points. I hadn't really thought about it that way. I guess the parent in me just gets so upset thinking about how scared these poor babies have to be that I just want to see everything done that can be. But you are very right if a alert was issued for every child it would very easily become a case of desensitzation...and that would be a true crime against these children.

Hopefully they can find a good solution one of these days that at least gives these "missing" (not proven to be in danger) children something more than what they can give them now. Something that gives them a better chance at being found.

Thanks for giving me a different angle to look at. :)

[Babcat]

...and nice to meet you. I always appreciate kind words. :wavy:

This was emailed to me by a person who is registered but cannot post here yet. It is quite interesting. She/He wanted me to share it.

These links are about another 11 year old girl who only lived 90 miles away from
Heaven Ross in a trailer park in Prattville, Alabama. It is a straight shot up US Hwy. 82.
She disappeared August 16, 2001 (almost 2 years ago to the day that Heaven disappeared on August 19).
Her body was found two months later by hunters and her killer has never been caught.

I know the Ross case could be a link to the Tuders case
( though Nashville is 248 miles from Northport also a straight shot just up I-65), however, I
thought Shannon Paulk's case could be just as likely a link especially considering the age,
distance, date of disappearance, trailer park connection, and photo of the child.
They may have been built differently though.
Both children are described as friendly and could be likely to accept rides.
Both had older sisters.

In some links, Shannon's hair is longer but in the first one, she had a "bob" that
was just above her sholders. Her hair was sandy and her eyes were green. They look dark.


http://www.amw.com/site/thisweek/P/PaulkShannon/paulkindex.html

http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?S=1405939&nav=0RdEHVtP

http://www.geocities.com/shannonpaulk/

http://www.bannerkids.org/states/alabama/SHANNON_NICOLE_PAULK.htm

http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?s=%20%20899337

I just thought it might be a good idea to throw this case in the mix and see what we got.

[johnny]

Great links Babcat! We were talking about the Paulk girl while we were in Northport, sounds like the second anniversary could've got the guy worked up and caused him to strike again? I'll make some calls and let them know where to look. We saw some areas that met the same desciption as in the Shannon Paulk case.

This is really curious!

[stormonster]

Hi all, look I'm posting!
I'm the one that emailed Babcat yesterday. I'm glad you're going to point out the case to the authorities Johnny. It has really been bugging me.

Shannon was dumped on Public Hunting land about 15 miles from her home at the intersection to two roads that ran off US hwy 82. There is some Public Hunting land off 69 that runs straight off 82 near Northport.

The killer in the Shannon Paulk case had all day and likely knew it. The killer in the Ross case may have assumed he had all day because big sis would think little sis got a ride and the parents would assume that little sis made it to the bus stop. The dad showing up to give them a ride may have changed the killers plan to some degree.

Another thing, as I said earlier, both had older sisters that were somewhat watching them. Could it be someone both sisters know? You know ... "can't go anywhere today, gotta watch my little sister, blah blah etc."

The coincidences bother me a good deal. I was prepared to call someone myself so please make these points when talking to the authorities. I think the anniversary is significant. I always thought it strange that Shannon was the only one. This is a very unusual crime in this area and it seems that when something like this happens anywhere there is usually more somewhere, sometime.

Thanks for the help Babcat.

[johnny]

Hoping for Shae’s safe return
August 26, 2003

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Barbara Matthews, a friend of the family, and daughter Samantha Balderson were among about 150 people attending a at a candlelight vigil for Heaven LaShae Ross Monday night at Willowbrook Trailer Park. They are looking at a paper containing a “prayer of hope," which was distributed at the vigil along with yellow ribbons and pictures of Shae that many people pinned to their shirts.
Staff photo | Michael E. Palmer

• Discuss this story


Heaven LaShae Ross was last seen walking to the bus stop on Hunter Creek Road from her home in Willowbrook Trailer Park.

Investigators had no new leads Monday, said Northport Police Sgt. Kerry Card, but they continued to search the area of the Willowbrook park with tracking dogs from Escambia County in Florida.

Nearly 70 volunteers helped search for Shae Saturday and Sunday, but the number of volunteers dropped to about a dozen Monday.

“We’ve got to get the numbers up so we can search all possible areas," said Kathy Martin-Spakes, director of the Red Cross of West Alabama. “It’s important for everyone who can to come out and do this because it could be their child."

Anyone who wants to volunteer, whether to help search or to answer telephones, can go to the volunteer headquarters at 1439 McFarland Blvd. in the former Gateway computer building.

Businesses and individuals have offered money for Shae’s safe return for a total reward that stands at $65,000.

Call 752-0383 to reach the volunteer headquarters. Investigators can be reached at 469-1380.

[Sharry]

Many join search
Missing girl's mother keeps vigil in tent
By ERIN SULLIVAN
BIRMINGHAM POST-HERALD

NORTHPORT — Beth Lowery hasn't slept inside her house since her daughter vanished.

http://www.postherald.com/me082503.shtml

[Sharry]

Hoping for Shae’s safe return
August 26, 2003

Heaven LaShae Ross was last seen walking to the bus stop on Hunter Creek Road from her home in Willowbrook Trailer Park.

Investigators had no new leads Monday, said Northport Police Sgt. Kerry Card, but they continued to search the area of the Willowbrook park with tracking dogs from Escambia County in Florida.

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030826/NEWS/308260344/1005

[Sharry]

Missing girl's location still evades authorities
By Samantha Hall
Senior Staff Reporter
August 27, 2003


A week after 11-year-old Heaven LaShae Ross vanished from Willowbrook Trailor Park in Northport, police are still searching for clues of her whereabouts.

http://www.cw.ua.edu/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/08/27/3f4c43fc59274

[johnny]

I have spoken to persons involved in all three cases and was told that persons involved will be meeting to discuss the similarities in the cases, Shae Ross, Tabitha Tuders, and Shannon Paulk.

Shannon was located approx.17 miles north in the Autauga County Wildlife Refuge off Posey Road (6700 acres) on Oct. 6th by hunters.

Shae and Shannon both lived only blocks from Highway 82 just 90 miles from one another.

If you go 15 miles south on highway 82 you have the Talladega National Forrest (larger than Autauga)

Two days after the family of Shannon Paulk have a candle light memorial for Shannon then Shae comes up missing, Shae on a Tuesday and Shannon on Thursday, Both in August less than a week apart from the date.

OK people help fill in the blanks!!!

[Sharry]

Why isn't there a thread for Shannon Paulk? Can we dig up some material on this girl, and start one for her?

[Ghostwheel]

Probably because she was found nearly a year ago. Although one could be started in the "Found" or "Unsolved and Mysterious" sections, since it has not been solved yet.

[stormonster]

Shannon was lost and found two years ago. There never seemed to be much of a story, much less national attention. It was tragic in the area though and she will not be forgotten.

There was one arrest of someone in her neighborhood for child porn as indicated in one of the links in Babcat's post that the officials thought important. They never charged him in Shannon's dissappearance and I don't know where he went. Nothing more was ever said and it was definitely not considered solved.

It was as if she fell off the face of the earth for two months. I don't even know if it would go under "unsolved" because there are so few clues. I never even heard a c.o.d. That may be their only clue and they are holding it close.

The Ross case was just too close in proximity and similarity. I too think that Hwy 82 and national forrest or public hunting land is significant. The trailer park connection is there, older sisters, same age victims. You name it and it is Shannon all over again I'm afraid.

As I pointed out earlier, Shannon dissappeared on August 16 and Shae dissappeared on August 19. One was born in May the other in June. Both went by nicknames. Who knows how people think.

I will keep searching for similarties.

[Sharry]

Parents Of Shae Ross Pass Lie Detector Test
Mother Hopes Results Will Shift The Focus Of Police Investigation

POSTED: 11:34 a.m. CDT August 28, 2003
UPDATED: 1:46 p.m. CDT August 28, 2003
NORTHPORT, Ala. -- The parents of a missing Northport girl have passed a lie detector test.

http://www.nbc13.com/news/2440409/detail.html

[johnny]

Good news about the lie detector tests, because they seemed to really be looking hard at Kevin the mothers boyfriend. While we were there they were looking for possible blood in his vehicle and the mother was very upset and defensive of Kevin, she stated that they would find blood in his car but that it would be hers because she had hit her head....uhh eye.

My belief is that if they aren't questioning you as a family member than they aren't doing there job! Everyone is a suspect until the child is found! EVERYONE!

[johnny]

Paulk Family Reacts to Arrest in Prattville
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He has been a suspect in the disappearance of Shannon Paulk, almost from the beginning, and the Paulk family knows him. Jack Gibson lived just yards away from Shannon Paulk, the 11-year-old girl who was kidnapped and murdered last year. Gibson could face upwards of 1,000 counts of child pronography, after a search of his home by Prattville Police. He was known as the "Rootbeer Man" because he gave Rootbeer to children who would come over to his house, including Shannon Paulk. Beth Jett talked with Shannon's mother about the arrest:

Marie Paulk/daughter murdered: "I always had an uncomfortable feeling about him, being single and all the kids going over there, and I would tell Shannon not to go over there by herself, but she liked the Rootbeer.."

Marie Paulk says she didn't know Jack Gibson very well, but her children knew him. Marie's other daughter used to clean his house. Gibson is in jail charged with child pornography and Marie is relieved.

Marie Paulk: "I feel more comfortable knowing he's not in the trailer park, because I'm still scared that whoever did this to Shannon is going to try it with somebody else's child."

Meanwhile, holidays are still tough for Marie, especially Easter and the special tradition she had with Shannon.

Marie Paulk: "I used to buy her baskets with porcelain dolls in it and I couldn't do that this year. Instead I had to start her with her porcelain doll collection."

She is Marie's granddaughter, Michaela Nicole, named after her late Aunt Shannon Nicole and born a few days after Shannon was laid to rest. Already, Marie has Michaela's Easter basket, trying to carry on a tradition that tragically ended when Shannon died at only 11-years-old.

Gibson has not been charged in the death of Shannon Paulk. The child pornography cases against him will be presented to the next Autauga County Grand Jury. The Paulk family is trying to move on with their lives, praying whoever killed Shannon, doesn't get to another child. Gibson, who worked in the maintenance department at the VA Hospital in Montgomery, is being held on $410,000 bond.

[johnny]

August 16, 2002 10:10 P.M.
Candlestick Park Remembers One Of Its Own 1 Year Later


One year ago 11-year old Shannon Paulk disappeared from her Prattville home. Hunters found Shannon's body 2 months after she vanished in rural Autauga County. Investigators are still trying to find out who murdered her. Tonight, Shannon's neighborhood held a candlelight vigil to remember her.

"We're going to find the person who did this to our community and who did this to Shannon Paulk," says Prattville Mayor Jim Byard who stood before a crowd of about 150.

Joe Davis, a local minister, gave the family hope, hope that justice will eventually prevail. "We know eventually they will find him, and even if they never do, we also know that God gets the last word," says Davis.

Edna George doesn't even live in Candlestick Park and never knew Shannon, but she felt the needed to be here. She understands a mother's love. "I have a little girl and if I were to lose her it would kill me. I just had to come out to help support the Paulk family," says George.

For Paulk family members, they'll wake up tomorrow morning to begin their second year without Shannon, knowing the person who killed her is still free. "It's been a year and that makes me think they're not going to catch him, but I know eventually he'll slip up or she.. I don't know who it is, but they'll eventually get caught," says Tiffany Ferrell, Shannon's sister.

One person who stood out in tonight's vigil was Prattville Police Chief Alfred Wadsworth. The chief declined an interview about the status of the investigation but says he was there to support the family.

http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?s= 1158691


October 9, 6:50 p.m.
Shannon Paulk Update: Identification of Body Difficult, FBI Suspect Profilers Arrive


Investigators in the Shannon Paulk case say they're trying to avoid going to DNA testing to prove the identity of the body found this weekend, but it's clearly a struggle.

Detectives say the records a local dentist gave them yesterday weren't enough to make a positive ID, so they're asking him for more detailed information.

At the same time, investigators gave medical examiners nine new pictures of Shannon Paulk to see if they might help. If doctors can't make a positive identification, they may have to go to the DNA testing, but that would take 4 to 6 weeks to complete.

More help to find the killer arrives.

Investigators brought two specially trained search dogs to the crime scene at Posey's Crossroads. Handlers say the dogs were trying to find any trace of the victim, and equally important, anything that might tie into the killer. Any evidence they find will go to medical examiners in Montgomery.

More expert help came in at almost the same time. Two FBI behavioral scientists arrived in Montgomery this afternoon to look at the evidence. They say they'll try to find behavior patterns to get inside the mind of the person who committed the crime. They'll be in the lab and at the crime scene for the next two days.

Local Suspects Targeted

Local agents targeted several possible suspects in the area again today. They say they're eliminating people based on some facts they're not sharing with us.

However, they say the profilers who just came into town will help them zero in on a suspect that much more.

No Funeral, Memorial Planned

As for Shannon Paulk's family, a Eufaula newspaper reported today that Paulk's family was preparing for a funeral.

We spoke with Danny Paulk, Shannon's uncle. He says no such arrangements have been made.

Paulk says he recognizes it's a 99 percent chance the body is Shannon's, but the family is holding onto the one percent chance that it's not.

[johnny]

http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?s= 500869


Click on this site to see the place where they found Shannon Paulk!!!

October 8, 7:05 p.m.
Shannon Case Investigators Move on Several Fronts; Profilers Called


Police looking into the disappearance of Shannon Paulk say they've made good progress in checking new leads on possible suspects. The news comes less than two days after hunters found the remains of a young girl that they believe is the missing 11 -year-old from Prattville.

The field where the body was found is just off County Road 66 near Posey's Crossroads, seventeen miles from Shannon's home.

Police hoped they might use dental records to determine if the body is the missing girl's, but Shannon Paulk didn't have much dental work done. They now hope to use x-rays done on Paulk two years ago. If those x-rays are detailed enough, medical examiners could positively identify the body. If not, DNA testing may be needed, which could take six to eight weeks.

Investigators say this is a chess game they're playing with a suspect. But slowly, they're winning the game because they're getting more information each hour. And that's closing the loop on whoever killed the little girl. Investigators are putting several pieces in motion.

Detectives spent more time with the two men who found the body, and others are revisiting people on their list, checking old alibis and rumors. They think they're close to the killer. Really close.

"Most definitely," said Prattville Police Sgt. Robert Furlong, "We still think he's in the area, which is why we're working so hard to find him."

The public is coming through, too.

Furlong says they've gotten a number of calls about the crime scene and the trailer park where Shannon Paulk lived. "We've had sightings, people who were in the area who weren't normally in the area, people who were familiar with the trailer park, just putting pieces of the puzzle together, basically," Furlong said.

Part of that puzzle includes getting psychologists to look at the latest evidence. Officers booked plane flights for two FBI behavioral scientists to examine things like the rope and plastic found at the crime scene. Those specifics could shed some light on the suspect's background.

Montgomery FBI Agent Margaret Faulkner explains how that might work. "They may be able to tell how the rope was tied, what we talked about earlier. They may tell how tight the knot was, where the knot was positioned, things like that. They might be able to make a judgement call or a suggestion on how the person was feeling when he did this."

The FBI expects those scientists to come in the next couple of days. To get ready for that, agents are putting together a comprehensive package of all the evidence they've found, such as photos of the scene, the autopsy, and a list of people who may or may not be suspects, and their backgrounds.

Unofficially, these two people will spend a couple of days on the Paulk case, and we hear they will then return to working on wartime projects

[johnny]

Police Closing In On Suspect In Shannon Paulk Case


FBI agent Margaret Faulkner says they know who they're looking for in the Shannon Paulk case. All they need now is a name that matches the behavioral profile of a white male.. a loner.

"That may be a hard concept for the public to grasp, but it's not a hard concept for the people doing the investigating. Everyone leaves their signature at a crime scene," says Faulkner, a 24 year veteran in law enforcement.

11-year old Shannon Paulk turned up missing August 16th in Prattville. Last weekend, rabbit hunters found a body in rural Autauga County. Police believe it's Shannon, but a positive identification is needed to clear up all doubt. Faulkner knows what it takes to solve a crime and who has to help solve it.

"The public is going to be the one to solve this case for us because they are the ones that'll know these characteristics that we put out and make the public aware of," Faulkner says.

Investigators believe the suspect is probably acting a little strange right now. Police think he's acting nervous, irritable and may have left town, giving friends or family an unusual excuse. They also believe he's developed an intense interest in the status of the Paulk investigation by paying very close attention to news reports on TV and in the newspapers.

Trying to solve a case like this one is emotionally draining for investigators like Faulkner, but that's nothing compared to what Shannon's family has gone through. They are still waiting for answers.

"I pray. I watch the hurt and pain. You get emotional. You learn to deal with it." says Faulkner.




August 17, 11:00 p.m.
Shannon Paulk's Family Marks Unpleasant Anniversary



About 35 friends and relatives met at the grave of 11-year-old Shannon Paulk, marking the second anniversary of the Prattville girl's kidnapping and death. Shannon was abducted from the Candlestick Park neighborhood in Prattville.

At the ceremony Saturday, Shannon's aunt, Janette Davis, says the last two years have been very, very hard as the search for the killer continues. Says Davis: "Every day we wake up and hope today's the day that they'll catch him."

Marie Paulk, Shannon's mother, says they light candles for Shannon, wanting to keep her memory alive. Prattville police officer Bob Furlong, in charge of the investigation, keeps in touch daily with the Paulks. But there have been no arrests.

Two years ago, hunters found her body in a public hunting range in north Autauga County two months later. This was the second year the family held a candlelight vigil for Shannon.





Oct. 16, 2001/10:11 P.M.
Positive identification On 11 Yr. Old Missing Girl's Body




The Alabama Department of Forensics today officially identified the human remains found by hunters that of 11-year old Shannon Paulk.

It was no surprise to the people of Prattville and investigators involved in the case. Paulk's body was discovered Oct. 6th by 2 rabbit hunters in rural Autauga County. Paulk turned up missing August 16th. There was a feeling all along the body was Shannon, but only forensics could clear up all doubt.

The Shannon's Task Force has yet to turn up any definitive leads.. no suspect in custody, but they have an idea how the suspect might be behaving right now. Investigators believe he is a white male who is probably acting very nervous. He may've changed his normal routine, which might include missing work. He probably has developed a keen interest in the status of this investigation by paying very close attention to broadcast news reports and newspaper articles.

If you have any information that might be of some help to authorities, call the Prattville Police Dept. at (334) 358-4809

[johnny]

It's one of the most emotionally draining murder cases in central Alabama history - the death of 11-year-old Shannon Paulk. Her killer remains free nearly a year after the little girl disappeared.

One reason officers have had such a hard time fingering a suspect is the focus of part II of Chris Holmes' investigative report on sex offenders.

We've heard a sex offender tell us he'd like to move away from other offenders because it's too easy for him to get into trouble. But Alabama law and political pressure from potential neighbors won't let him.

Bill is a convicted sex offender. He says it just isn't right to lump all offenders into one category, or one small neighborhood.

"If a bad seed comes along and says let's go down this bad path, there's probably some weak ones who would follow just because they want to be part of a group."

Police say when sex offenders live too close together it makes the job of finding and charging crime suspects a lot tougher.



A point FBI Agent Margaret Faulkner agrees with. Faulkner is one of Alabama's most experienced sex abuse investigators. She says it doesn't matter if an offender is involved in child porn or has assaulted someone. One thing is constant.

"There is no rehabilitation for sex offenders. It's like an alcoholic. They most likely are going to offend again, unless they all have the same agenda, and that is to not offend," says Faulkner.

This is why officers say when sex offenders live near each other, problems follow. Typically, investigators say, offenders find each other, and become friends. They network and sometimes share sex related materials. Then, it progresses to something worse.

Lt. Robert Stone of the Montgomery County Sheriff's department says, "I t becomes a way of life for them. The next step logically is to step right into molesting children."

The Alabama Bureau of Investigation's Cpl. Lynn Rhodes says, "People normally don't just wake up one day and decide 'I'm going to rape a 12-year-old child.' It is something that progresses to that."

While it should be simple to solve such a crime, things change dramatically when there's more than one suspect in a small area. Officers say sex offenders will close ranks, even provide alibis for each other and that increases the possibility of violent crime.

Bill says, "I think a crafty individual would use that. The person actually doing something would be using that for cover to make it more difficult to find him."

Which leads us to one of the most preferred areas in Central Alabama for sex offenders - Prattville. According to public records, 38 convicts live here. One small mobile home park had at least three sex offenders living in it when someone murdered another resident, Shannon Paulk. Investigators haven't solved the case, despite several promising leads. Officers say it has been extremely difficult to investigate the little girl's murder because so many suspects lived nearby.

We don't want anyone to think we're singling out Prattville or central Alabama. This is a problem authorities all over the state know about and are talking about. What should we do about this problem? Law enforcement officers say they need to talk to lawmakers about a solution to protect innocent people, but it's going to be very hard to strike a balance between keeping sex offenders away from kids, yet providing enough room so offenders don't congregate, re-offend, and put others at risk

[johnny]

October 7, 2001 11:00 p.m.
FBI Investigating Young Girl's Death


FBI agents have joined local authorities in investigating the discovery of a young girl's body in Autauga county. Two hunters made the discovery Saturday near Posey's Crossroads in an area of the Autauga County Wildlife Refuge. The hunters say the girl was dressed in clothes similar to the ones 11-year-old Shannon Paulk (pictured) was wearing the day she disappeared from a Prattville neighborhood.

Authorities caution that they have not yet made a positive identification. That could take several days. But they are hot on the trail of a suspect. "Whoever was there, whoever left that body there, has left some evidence and that's what we're looking for," says FBI Agent Margaret Faulkner.

Investigators are trying to link the girl to her killer with the help of hair or fibers from clothes found at the scene. The examination is so complete, detectives can tie the smallest speck of evidence to a single person. "We can also tell a lot from how the body was left," says Faulkner. They'll be looking at the rope and plastic used to hide the girl and track where it was made and then sold.

Officers are also interviewing people who live near where the girl was found, asking them to search their memories for anyone or anything unusual. They're asking anyone who has even visited the area to call the Shannon Paulk Task Force at (334) 358-4809.

Paulk disappeared from Candlestick Mobile Home Park August 16th. Since then, her story captivated much of central Alabama. Her photos started showing up on T-shirts and posters and her friends and family held a candlelight vigil. Paulk was also featured on the national television program, America's Most Wanted.

Upon hearing news of the discovery, Paulk's family was obviously shaken. Their home was surrounded by friends and family over the weekend, but they did not speak with reporters. Some relatives still hold out hope the body found was not Shannon's

[johnny]

http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?s= 491947


Investigators now have descriptions of the cars they say were seen around the area from which Shannon Paulk disappeared. They say they have known about the specifics of the vehicles for some time, but they didn't want to go public with the descriptions until they conducted a search on their own, and they were sure the information was correct.

The task force is looking for a red Jeep Wrangler similar to the one pictured at left (IMPORTANT: This is not THE Vehicle, only one that looks like the vehicle). Investigators say it has a black interior, a soft black top and round headlights. They say the man they're looking for was seen driving the Jeep through Candle Stick Mobile Home Park two weeks before Shannon disappeared. They're also looking for a white or cream colored, compact car that has a license plate frame that looks braided. Those looking into the case say the witness was seen driving this light colored car near Shannon's trailer on the day she disappeared.

Investigators have also released more photographs of Shannon. The one of her sitting down was taken just two days before her disappearance.

Meanwhile, the F.B.I. says it's important to teach young people about stranger danger. Margaret Faulkner who is an F.B.I. agent says anyone who talks to a youngsters, even for a few minutes is no longer a stranger to them. "Our definition of acquaintance and stranger is where a lot of people have problems. Because to a child, a stranger is someone they don't know or have not spoken with... Someone who comes up to you and carries on a conversation with you for a while... they're no longer a stranger to you. They maybe a stranger to your parents but not to the child."

The Task Force says it's important for parents who live in the area to ask their youngsters if anyone has approached them recently, even if the kids were somewhere they weren't suppose to be. There just might be a clue there to help investigators find the witness they're looking for.

Authorities also have a description of the man they want to talk to about Shannon's disappearance. He's a white man with hazel eyes, brown hair and a brown mustache. He is believed to be around 35 to 45 years old. If you have any information that may help in this case, you are asked to call 358-4809...

[johnny]

Sorry for all the postings in a row I just think everyone needs to look at the increasing similarities....and also Shae's task force can have everything together the name for the group is "Heaven's Team"


Web site for Shae is www.Heavenross.com

[tthoman]

JOHNNY:

Thank you for your posts......please explain to me the Federal criteria which will enable a state to go ahead and issue the Amber Alert. Thank you.

[Sharry]

Shae’s mother defends stepfather
Missing girl’s mom says he passed polygraph

By Stephanie Taylor
Staff Writer
August 29, 2003

NORTHPORT | The stepfather of a missing Northport girl passed a polygraph test given by police Thursday morning, the girl’s mother said.


http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030829/NEWS/308290402/1007

[johnny]

Shae’s mother defends stepfather
Missing girl’s mom says he passed polygraph

By Stephanie Taylor
Staff Writer
August 29, 2003

Email this story.


Volunteer Don Horne of Northport searches a wooded area in Northport on Thursday for clues to the whereabouts of 11-year-old Heaven LaShae Ross.
Staff photo | Jason Getz

• Discuss this story


NORTHPORT | The stepfather of a missing Northport girl passed a polygraph test given by police Thursday morning, the girl’s mother said.

“They said that he’s been eliminated ó finally, after 10 days of Shae being gone," said Beth Lowery, who is scheduled to take a polygraph test at Northport Police Department at 9 a.m. today. “They’ve wasted a lot of time focusing on him."

Police would not confirm whether they believe Lowery’s common-law husband, Kevin Thompson, knows anything about 11-year-old Heaven LaShae Ross’s disappearance, and would not confirm that they gave him a lie detector test.

“We can’t make any comment on that at this time," said Northport Police Sgt. Kerry Card.

Lowery said that a private investigator working for the family administered polygraph tests to her and Thompson Wednesday night, which she said they passed.

Thompson took a test at the Northport Police Department for 2½ hours Thursday morning, Lowery said.

She said that they took a private test because the investigators had not yet given them one and because they believed they were being treated as suspects.

“We took it because, for one, the police were taking too long to administer our tests; two, because we wanted to go ahead and have ourselves cleared; and three, I was scared that they were going to try to trip us up and make us fail on purpose," she said.

Tracking dogs and volunteers on Wednesday searched property that Thompson’s mother and grandfather own in Fosters, Card said.

A team of search dogs and their handlers from Slidell, La., were searching the Brookwood area Thursday, he said.

“They were following up on a lead that led them to that area. This is just one of the hundreds of leads that we’ve received," Card said.

Lowery said she thinks her husband has been unfairly scrutinized since Shae disappeared.

“I think people have focused on him [Thompson] because he is a stepfather and because he is black," said Lowery, who is white.

Thompson was not available to comment Thursday afternoon. He was at his family’s house in Fosters checking on Shae’s Rottweiler, Princess Sheba, Lowery said.

Lowery said that police have questioned Thompson and his family members every day, but have not questioned anyone on her side of the family.

“No one’s interviewed me," her sister, Mary Battle, said.

Friday will mark the 11th day that Shae has been missing. She was last seen on her way to the bus stop on Hunter Creek Road, near her home in Willowbrook Trailer Park. Reward money contributed by local businesses and individuals has risen to $65,000.

“Whoever has her, please do the right thing and drop her off anywhere ó Wal-Mart, a convenience store ó anywhere ó and call to let us know where she is," Battle said.

Reach Stephanie Taylor at 722-0210 or stephanie.taylor@tuscaloosanews.com.

[Ghostwheel]

tthoman,

You didn't ask me, but I'll butt in anyway.
From http://codeamber.org/

What is an Amber Alert?


Each program establishes its own AMBER Plan criteria; however, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children suggests three criteria that should be met before an Alert is activated.

law enforcement confirms a child has been abducted
law enforcement believes the circumstances surrounding the abduction indicate that the child is in danger of serious bodily harm or death
there is enough descriptive information about the child, abductor, and/or suspect’s vehicle to believe an immediate broadcast alert will help

If these criteria are met, alert information must be put together for public distribution. This information can include descriptions and pictures of the missing child, the suspected abductor, a suspected vehicle, and any other information available and valuable to identifying the child and suspect.

As I have said, everyone makes their own rules, and they can be subjective

[johnny]

Glad to bow down and watch you do your work Ghost!:bigthumb:

[Ghostwheel]

I thought you might need a well deserved break.

[johnny]

Working on my Silver Ghost!!

A former neighbor snatched 7-year-old Tyra Knox off a Frayser street as the child played with a scooter, dragged her into a vacant house and suffocated her, according to police.

Tobias Johnson, 23, who formerly lived across the street from Tyra's home at 3567 Mountain Terrace, was charged Wednesday night in her abduction and slaying.




SOME OF THESE COMMENTS ARE BOTHERSOME




Memphis police charged Johnson with first-degree murder, first-degree murder in perpetration of an aggravated kidnapping and first-degree murder in perpetration of aggravated child abuse. He also is charged with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated child abuse.

Tyra was riding on the sidewalk in front of 3558 Mountain Terrace Saturday afternoon when she was pulled screaming from the scooter, according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday evening by Homicide Sgt. Tim Helldorfer.

Johnson covered Tyra's mouth to prevent her from screaming as he dragged her and the scooter to a rear door, the charges state.

Once inside a rear bedroom, Johnson put his hand over Tyra's mouth and nose until she suffocated, the charges say. Then, according to the charges, Johnson concealed Tyra's body in the attic.



....running information down and some new leads in the Tabitha Tuders case .....I'll post some information that maybe we can get some help with. :D

[tthoman]

GHOSTWHEEL:

Many thanks.....appreciate it !

[Sharry]

Mother says she passed polygraph

By Stephanie Taylor
Staff Writer
August 30, 2003

NORTHPORT | The mother of a missing Northport girl passed a police-/sadministered polygraph test Friday morning, she said.


http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030830/NEWS/308300313/1007

[Up2theminute]

On AMW right now.
(it's a brief feature and they give the AMW tip line)

[johnny]

http://www.cw.ua.edu/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/08/25/3f49bbd47fea5

http://www.tuscoema.org/

[johnny]

The Other Missing Kids
They quickly faded from headlines and public attention

BAY AREA -- You have never heard much about Toni Clark, the 17- year-old girl who vanished mysteriously off the Bay Bridge eight years ago. Or Clark Handa, the 3-year-old snatched from his Fairfield bedroom 14 years ago under his parents' noses.

They were not like Polly Klaas or Amber Swartz-Garcia, or any of the dozens of others who became unlucky poster kids for the plight of missing children in the past decade or so.

Toni and Clark were just as gone, just as loved. But the difference is that they were largely ignored by the public and media. And they still are -- like most of the 150 other children snatched by strangers each year in America.

What makes one missing kid a headline when most others get nary a mention on the nightly news is a quirky, often infuriating mixture of luck, race, class and judgment. When everything works right, in those rare instances when a missing child gets publicity and is actually rescued from the horror of abduction, it all works well.

Most often, though, nothing works and the ending is grisly, as with the discovery of 12-year-old Polly's body in 1993 and, just last month, that of 15-year-old Lisa Norrell of Pittsburg, found dead after a one-week manhunt. Lisa's killer is still on the loose.

Or there is no ending at all, just endless waiting year after year.

And it is one thing to wait, with reporters or police coming to your door at least on special dates, as was the case with 13-year-old Christina Williams of Seaside, snatched last June, and with 9- year-old Michaela Garecht of Hayward, kidnapped 10 years ago. But it is quite another to wait alone. Like the parents of Toni and Clark.

``I don't care what anyone says, what anyone does, I am never giving up looking for my baby,'' said Gwen Clark of San Bruno, whose daughter Toni is 26 if she is still alive. ``I think she was abducted, by somebody wacko.

``My daughter's story never got the kind of notice it should have, but that doesn't stop me. I will never give up. She is alive.''

Toni was driving home after visiting a cousin in Oakland on March 16, 1990, when her Chevrolet Camaro stalled on the Bay Bridge just before midnight. Another car rammed the stopped Camaro, and when police came to check it out, Toni was gone.

The Coast Guard dragged the bay and found nothing. Police eventually phased out the case, figuring that Toni must have been knocked off the bridge by the car that rammed hers, then disappeared under the waves.

But to this day, at least five local and national missing-children organizations still carry her poster and take calls with tips. Quietly. Otherwise, she is mostly forgotten outside her family.

``I know she was taken off that bridge because she called me a week later,'' Gwen Clark said. ``I picked up the phone and for 40 seconds, I heard a female voice -- my daughter's -- crying and crying. I kept saying `Hello, hello,' and then the line cut off.'' The phone company could not trace the call.

A few newspaper articles were written about Toni, and then no more. But Gwen Clark, a struggling single mother with another daughter, 15-year-old Clarissa, kept hunting between shifts as a retail store manager.

She soon found, like the parents of other missing kids who are either minorities -- the family is black -- or older than 13, that public interest wanes fast.

``Gwen would put up posters around town, then come back later to find them ripped down,'' said Chris Wilder of the Vanished Children's Alliance in San Jose, which keeps Toni's case file open. ``Newspapers wouldn't write about it. People didn't pay attention, and law enforcement didn't act as diligently as we wish.

``We're convinced she was abducted. We think everyone else should have been convinced, too.''

Police in San Bruno, Toni's hometown, say they did everything they could. They helped bring the driver who hit Toni's car up on manslaughter charges in 1991, but without a body or conclusive evidence, he was not convicted.

``We can understand Mrs. Clark's grief, but we disagree with her,'' said Sergeant Craig McKee- Parks. ``We think Toni's body was swept out past the Golden Gate. It tears your heart out.''

It would be easy to blame the lack of community or media response to cases like Toni's on race, class, age and capricious media indifference, say law enforcement and other experts. And to some extent, the blame is justified. But it is not that simple.

``The most important thing is the community response,'' said Marylin Adair, manager at the Amber Foundation for Missing Children, formed after 7-year-old Amber Swartz-Garcia vanished from Pinole in 1988. ``If they pull together and start printing posters and putting out the word, organizations like ours start coming in, and it's like a storm gets going.

``But I can never figure out exactly why some kids get known and others don't. I think it's luck.''

Paula Fass, author of ``Kidnapped: Child Abduction in America,'' studied disappearances dating to the 1800s and concluded that -- in descending order -- the factors that determine publicity are attractiveness, race, age, and economic class.

``Attractive children, like Polly Klaas, will become a sort of poster child for missing kids,'' said Fass, who teaches history at the University of California at Berkeley. ``So do white kids, and anyone under 13 or 14. These children become the means by which our society shows it cares, and the fact is that kids who don't fit these descriptions don't fill the bill as easily in our society.''

She said that although missing girls seem to hit the news more than boys, both are equally likely to be publicized, as evidenced by the case of Kevin Collins, 10, of San Francisco, who was never found after disappearing in 1984. And the minority bias seems to be abating as the media and public get more sophisticated about missing-child cases, she said, pointing to the huge searches for Christina, a Filipina, and Lisa, a Latina, as examples.

Class comes into play because people who are middle-class or higher are more accustomed to working the system, experts said. This does not mean poor people never get publicity -- Michaela Garecht's parents were unemployed, for instance -- but they need community support more.

The cases that get the most media coverage are the most simply defined -- where it is clear that a bad guy snatched a nice little child. ``Any ambiguity, and it starts slipping down the charts,'' Fass said.

That is why runaways and parental abductions, the vast majority of child disappearances, do not get much notice, even though police and child-search groups treat them seriously. This is not automatically bad, said Ben Bagdikian, former dean of the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.

``Journalism is a matter of selecting a few things out of an incredible multitude of possibilities,'' Bagdikian said. ``There are hundreds of crimes every day, hundreds of accidents, hundreds of missing children cases, and it's impossible to cover them all.''

Most police agencies say they treat every missing child equally, as they are required to under a 1990 federal law that mandates that officers immediately launch searches. But the reality is that they cannot: Every year, there are at least 125,000 missing-child reports in California alone.

``We can't make a big deal to the media out of every case. It's impossible,'' said officer Patrick Mahanay of the Oakland Police Missing Person's Unit. ``If we did that, with all the runaways and other kinds we get, nobody would notice anymore.''

According to the California Department of Justice, only 81 of last year's 130,605 children reported missing were confirmed as snatched by strangers. Some 120,180 were runaways and 2,793 were abducted by relatives. Nationally, stranger abductions are pegged each year at about 150.

The stranger-kidnapping figures are vigorously disputed by groups like the Vanished Children's Alliance, which contends that the national figure is closer to 3,500. But even they agree that the stranger cases are always just a sliver of the total -- and very few get publicized widely.

Regardless of the number of cases, the other thing everyone agrees on is that only a fraction of child kidnappings get solved. And in most, a body is never found.

Sometimes the parents never give up, like Toni's. Sometimes grief consumes them, like the family of Mitchell Owens.

Mitchell was 5 in 1983 when he walked into his mother's room in their Menlo Park home and found a man raping her. Ora Owens screamed at Mitchell to hide as the rapist strangled her, but when she woke up two days later in a hospital, her son was gone.

``People didn't take much notice of that case either, maybe because they were black,'' said Wilder of the Vanished Children's Alliance. ``Ora kept looking for Mitchell for so many years, and then finally we just lost contact. The grief was very heavy on her.''

And then there are those who struggle to put the past behind them without forgetting.

Clark Handa's parents do not really talk about their son's disappearance anymore. The pain cuts too deep, said his uncle, Earl Handa, -- especially with the boy's birthday coming up tomorrow.

Clark was kidnapped Aug. 22, 1984, in the same way that Polly Klaas was: Some thug broke into his bedroom and took him. Clark's abductor left a ransom note but never followed up to collect.

``He's 18 now, if he's still alive,'' Earl Handa said with a sigh. ``We all miss him just as much as we ever did, but we don't talk about it. All we can do is mark his birthday in our hearts. We won't gather around and light candles.''

[johnny]

"continued article from above"


``He's 18 now, if he's still alive,'' Earl Handa said with a sigh. ``We all miss him just as much as we ever did, but we don't talk about it. All we can do is mark his birthday in our hearts. We won't gather around and light candles.''

Clark disappeared before there was the concern there is today -- it was nearly a week before posters and wide notice spread throughout the area. A few news articles bubbled up and faded fast.

``The search just kind of fizzled out, and then years went by, and they were never able to solve it,'' said Handa. ``This was all before the Polly Klaas case made everyone so aware, and my brother and his wife were shy, the last people in the world to talk in public. That all probably made a difference.

``But that's in the past. We try not to blame anyone. It's hard.''

[johnny]

Abduction cases are also kept so low because of the missing persons cases that are never solved.

Cases like Tabitha's etc. where they are believed abducted but are listed as missing......

More accurate statistics of childhood abductions could reach into the thousands...wouldn't want anyone to panic.....

[Ghostwheel]

I get very angry when people try to blame race, or economic background for lack of media attention. Jahi Turner got tons of media attention in San Diego, and he was a little African American kid, from a not rich family (I'm not going to dig all those links up and post them a third time, though). What makes the media grab hold is an unusual case, some skeletons coming out of a family's closet, or something that could happen to anyone. AND it takes the family following up-and I'll buy that a poor family doesn't have the monetary resources like an affluent one does, but I don't think Shawn Hornbeck's family was really rich, and look at them go.

People seem to forget, if the family won't grant interviews, or is too distraught to talk to anyone, the media isn't going to go too far, where's the interest?

Cases from six or more years ago didn't have the high speed internet going for it(it was still on the upsurge), and the cities just didn't share as much information. Over 20 years ago I posted flyers everywhere, trying to get information about my friend who was murdered. Her mother got on the news, printed flyers, offered rewards, everything possible (her father kind of ignored everything), but there was only so much you could do back then. (But I'll tell you, we did it)

Add to all that, when the police decide it's not an abduction (they are convinced Toni fell off the bridge and was killed or vice versa-they aren't looking for any killer), the family is lost. Many just give up and go away. Again, with the above friend who was murdered, the police decided it must have been this person who died a couple of years later, and pretty much closed the books. No real evidence, BTW, I think they just wanted the case gone.

Don't tell me it's race. That's crap.

[johnny]

What is true is that while one city categorizes a child one way another will treat a seemingly similar one like a runaway, and does a child deserve less attention because the family doesn't have the mental ability to push forward .............while I agree the Shawn Hornbeck people have done a great job, initially there were a lot of problems, etc. etc. etc.

And the group has quite a few intelligent persons who have lots of abilities that many don't (Craig and Chris both are computer programmers) Also the public many times isn't aware of what they can do or even if thay can do something and as you know we are allready behind and getting farther behind as time races forward in these cases.

While every case is somewhat different and some are similar ..I wonder why we can't have some common ground , such as the Missing Childrens Law Enforcement Guide which gives guidelines on how to handle these cases..........


Each case has to be judged independently of how it is was handled not lumped together.

Yet more importantly that we not be blinded by hindsight, but instead use foresight to insure that everything be expedited to insure that these missing persons are brought home as soon as possible and that whatever the cause for there missing that it be dealt with as swiftly as possible.

[Ghostwheel]

Unfortunately, unless the LE is willing to tell the family what they should do, and what rights they have, there will always be gaps.

All of my family own computers, yet few of them know what an Amber Alert is, or the criteria for one. Most wouldn't even know how to find it on the internet.

No, a child does not deserve less attention because the family doesn't have the mental ability to push forward, but children do not deserve to die because parents neglect or abuse them, and that happens, too. Life sometimes stinks.

But to blame it on race/economic/attractiveness(get real, here) is not realistic, and non-productive. It causes dissention where there should be none.

[tthoman]

JOHNNY:

Thanks for the postings.....and the Crimson White & TusCcEMA sites.

[johnny]

As far as the race card etc. that never was my intention and not my torch to carry , moot point.

My intention was to post information so that others can provide there on editing not me. In order to have the best understatnding we have to look at all issues and decide for ourselves what needs to stick. We hopefully improve our views and abilities as we recognize improvements and quality. Of course some people may still be stubborn enough to be using Commodore computers.

As far as Shae's family I believe the mother is being overly critical of the police department and too defensive of Kevin and herself. While we were in Northport asssisting in the search efforts we noticed several problems but kept our focus on finding Shae. The mother seems offended that she and Kevin are being questioned and say it is because he is black, ?? The mother says her children think of him as there father? The sixteen year old brother who was physically abused and Kevin was arrestesd last year may not think of him that way (also they have had many arguements)

Even while the Tuders were at the trailer park talking to the family there were multiple incidents. The police came and took Kevin in for questioning and the mother got very angry making threats that she'd give the police a reason to arrest her pulling a knife from her pocket. Police were not present but five members of the Tuders family were in shock. Also when they said they were looking for blood in his car she was quick to point out that they would find blood but that it was hers (the mothers) blood that they would find because she had hit her head uhh eye.....now the story is Kevin and her may have fought in the car?? And it goes on and on and on... so the reason for them being suspects is one because as the statistics show most of the time it is a family member or friend and in this case there are some concerns..........still we aren't looking for the mother and Kevin but Shae an eleven year old child.

Again you have to start from the beginning and those who are around ...everyone is a suspect.....unfortunately thats one of the many tragedies that accompanies a missing child

[tthoman]

JOHNNY:

Thank you very much for filling in the details.....

[Ghostwheel]

Originally posted by johnny
As far as the race card etc. that never was my intention and not my torch to carry , moot point.
I was commenting on the article, not you posting it, BTW. I appreciate that you find these articles, and post them for us. I do find it sad that these articles exist.

It seems so odd that a mother would place her boyfriend/whatever before finding her daughter. Again, it is a shame that the mother should try to cloud the issue with racism, as that detracts from what is really important. Although I can understand the fear that someone might try to blame you for something you have not done.

At least everyone is still looking for Shae, and that's what counts.

[johnny]

Still searching!

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030901/NEWS/309010322/1007

[johnny]

Candlelight vigil held in honor of missing child






http://www.northportgazette.com/topstories/article.nhtml?uid=10624

[Anniegirl]

Am praying for this little girls safe return-

That mother breaks my heart- as they all do- I CAN NOT imagine what that family is going through.

[Sharry]

Red Cross to place paper angels near Shae's home
August 31, 2003

TUSCALOOSA | The West Alabama chapter of the American Red Cross is asking area residents, schools and church groups to assist in a new program created in the disappearance of 11-year-old Heaven LaShae Ross.

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030831/NEWS/308310361/1005

[johnny]

Information about the Amber Alert in Alabama


http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030902/NEWS/309020329/1007

[tthoman]

JOHNNY:

Thank you for that article and the Amber Alert information contained therein regarding Alabama.....Also interesting Tuscaloosa County was the first county in the state...

[Bailey1]

I'm sorry but I disagree with Babcat on this one. I believe that an 11yr old CHILD that went missing from her door to the school bus all in a matter of minutes SHOULD HAVE WARRANTED AN AMBER ALERT? This is a child with her sis waiting for her and never makes it...her family should be the judge if she is a run away and/or has a custodial issue.

SINCE WHEN DO WE SEE ABDUCTERS TAKE OUR CHILDREN. leanna Warner deserved an Amber Alert - no mistake. I dont' believe these alerts would be ignored...but they sure as HELL will be ignored if they are never issued? I have one comment for those that believe otherwise...WHY TAKE THE RISK WHEN IT COMES TO A CHILD?! For petes sake...we care more about a missing animal than a child.

[johnny]

Seems there are some definite problems with the "Amber Alert" possibly they should look at levels of Amber alert such as our homeland security uses. Obviously the Police were notified soon enough and they had a description of the girl and reason to believe she was in danger. As always though hindsight is 20/20!


Why is it that after a few weeks certain people start wondering if they should have done some of the things others suggested from the beginnning!

[Ghostwheel]

It would appear that too many times the Amber Alert is not used because there is no car to identify. It's heard to just send out an alert for "11 year old girl, InsertNameHere, blond shoulder length hair, might be wearing a t-shirt and jeans." That covers too many people. To hear that on the radio, or see it on a freeway sign would be near useless.

There should be some alert required for the general area for anyone missing, though. At least people should know someone is missing.

[johnny]

Rumors of Shae’s whereabouts false

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030904/NEWS/309040345/1007

[Bailey1]

The most important aspect of an Amber is to follow up with A PICTURE. I have seen news reports and articles in papers that have no picture. I agree just stating age/height/color of eyes is not enough..so it is our job to list identifiable attributes that may stand out...

1) PICTURE, PICTURE, PICTURE...on tvs, newscasts, media outlets
2) Detail of where last scene and SPECIFICS. I hate those vague reports..missing child since 8:00a this morning? Puleeze. Detail where the parents were, what the circumstances were, interview the parents...color of pjs, details, details. **otherwise people tend to brush off as out of detail/out of mind.

Personally I was very frustrated in the Leanna Warner case w/no details. Just the parents last saw there 5yr. old Saturday at 5??????? People tend to think it could just be a case of being lost "innocently" or a custodial situation with those details. WHAT PARENT LEAVES THEIR 5YR. OLD OUT THE DOOR and just says "bye bye" talk to you in an hour..like she is an adult? Anyway...don't get me started on that one..

3) Immediately get the info out...don't wait. These are children for God's sake.

[Bailey1]

One more point , I don't believe that an Amber Alert will numb responses if used on every case..it is the LACK OF DETAILS that numb people's receiving the info.

When I hear vague circumstances, I immediately think here is another slime case of abusive parents or neglect. Obviously a concerned, legitimate crime the parents would provide more detials. Van Dam's are a good example for doing this.

All children are important..that is not what I am saying but to just say " they woke up to her gone"..."last scene at 4:00p w/no shoes" is not enough.

Put it out there the circumstances, what the parents have said, how they feel, if THEY think foul play involved..then PEOPLE AUTOMATICALLY BECOME INVOLVED AS IF IT IS THEIR CHILD AND HENSE....MORE ALERT AND MORE CONCERNED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[johnny]

The surge of media attention
surrounding the apparent increase
in child kidnappings has many
thinking that we are facing a
boom in child abductions.
According to the National
Center for Missing and Exploited
Children, child abductions in the
United States have actually
declined. The FBI’s National
Crime Information Center reports
that there was a 4.1 percent
decrease in kidnappings from
2000 to 2001.
In 2001, 840,279 people
were reported missing. The FBI
estimates that of those missing, 85
to 90 percent were juveniles.
Approximately 98 percent of
child abductions are committed
by the abducted child’s parent,
according to the Department of
Justice. A small percentage of
kidnappings are randomly
perpetrated by a stranger.
Overall, 94 percent of
abducted children are re-turned
safely.
Jacqueline Taylor, acting
director of career services and
mother of two daughters, says she
has been slightly unnerved by the
media reports of recent child
kidnappings but has always made
it a point to talk with her children.
“I’ve continually taught my
kids to be aware and close to us at
all times,” Taylor said. “No matter
who pulls up in the driveway, [my
children] are to come in the house
immediately and let us know.”
Stacie Herr, wife of Dan Herr,
resident director of McAffee
Residence Complex, lives on
campus with her husband and three
boys.
“It’s not that it scares me that
we have all the students on
campus, it’s that we live so close
to the bypass,” Herr said. “A lot of
different people travel through
there.”
“We have boundaries,” said
Herr about how she talks with her
children about safety.
Ernie Allen, National Center
for Missing and Exploited
Children President and CEO,
advises parents to know who their
children are with and where they
are. He also suggests that parents
talk with their children about safety
and put their a safety plan into
practice.

Many communities have
adopted a plan to aid in the search
and rescue of missing children
when prevention fails.


The AMBER Plan is named
for 9-year-old Amber Hagerman of
Arlington, Texas, who was
abducted and murdered while
riding her bicycle in 1996. AMBER
is an acronym for America’s
Missing: Broadcast Emergency
Response.

READ THIS AGAIN!

“The AMBER Plan is one
more life saving tool to help
recover abducted children when
time is the enemy,” Allen said in a
released statement.


The AMBER Plan uses local
media to help make an abducted
child’s community aware of the
kidnapping by putting out
information on the child’s
disappearance.

In order for the AMBER Plan
to go into effect, the child must be
younger than 18. Law enforcement
must confirm that the child is
missing and that he or she may be
in danger.


Sixteen states are currently
using the AMBER Plan. New York
Gov. George Pataki instated the
plan on Sept. 2, making New York
the most recent state to join the
ranks.

Parts of Tennessee have or are
in processes of adopting the
AMBER Plan. The plan is already
in existence in Memphis and will
soon be put into place in East
Tennessee.

By Kari Jones
World News Editor
Adopting AMBER: Search and
rescue of missing children

[johnny]

Although the Amber Plan is named after Amber Hagerman, this national program is dedicated to all children nationwide who’ve been abducted.

How often does it happen? According to the U.S. Department of Justice, up to 4600 children are abducted by strangers every year (about 12 children nationwide every day).


Whyis this 4600 figure so different than the FBI's they say its around 300???? I keep finding a lot of variances in statistics? Possibly the reason for the difference is because the level of panic etc. Just recently a boy was found in Athens Tennessee who was reported as a runaway (15 years old) and he was found locked in a trunk with his hands and feet tied with his mouth gagged and partially clothed, I believe he was from North Carolina.

So help me with this he ran away and was trying out his magician act which he was going to use to support himself?

Because children are 14 and older they almost always get the runaway label. Rougher times folks...using old out dated laws and technology aren't going to solve these problems.....

[Sharry]

Postal Service joins search for missing Northport girl

By Stephanie Taylor
Staff Writer
September 06, 2003

NORTHPORT | The U.S. Postal Service on Friday joined the roster of agencies working to find a Northport girl who has been missing for almost three weeks.


http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030906/NEWS/309060342/1007

[johnny]

This is great news, if this could be implemented sooner in other missing children cases this could really get the awareness out, we will find out if our post office will do the same here for Tabitha Tuders......... Great information!

[johnny]

Letter to the Editor from Tuscaloosa news.

Let’s see if I got that right: in the three incidents mentioned in Tuesday’s news article where the Amber Alert was sounded, everyone was recovered safely. In the case of little Heaven Ross, and also the Tennessee girl whose situation is so similar to Heaven’s, the Amber Alert was not sounded, and guess what? They are still missing. What does that tell you? The criteria should be changed so that any time a child goes missing, police should issue an Amber Alert. If she’s not at home with her family, she’s in danger. Even if she did run away, which has been so strongly hinted, she is in danger.

ó Tuscaloosa County

[Sharry]

Search For Shae Ross Scales Down
Parents Plead For Public To Continue Search For Missing Northport Girl

POSTED: 4:00 PM CDT September 8, 2003
UPDATED: 4:30 PM CDT September 8, 2003
NORTHPORT, Ala. -- The search for missing 11-year-old Heaven LaShae Ross is scaling down.


http://www.nbc13.com/news/2464321/detail.html

[johnny]

BREAKING NEWS: Riley issues reward in Northport case

Sept. 11 2003


http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030911/NEWS/30911001/1007

[tthoman]

JOHNNY:

After trying to foist the biggest most horrendous tax increase on the good citizens of this state, that goodwill gesture is the LEAST he can do! Why so late in coming? And I am a Republican.......

[johnny]

Yeah the Proposed Tax Increase is getting National Attention ...so much so that other southern states are upset!

[tthoman]

JOHNNY:

He lost the tax referendum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! By two-thirds vote!

[Sharry]

Questions remain unanswered in search for Heaven LaShae Ross
By Heather Henderson
Metro/State Editor
September 12, 2003

Many people search for a place called heaven.

Beth Lowery continues to search for a girl called Heaven. Lowery, mother of Heaven LaShae Ross, an 11-year-old Northport girl missing since Aug. 19, spoke out to "Shae" at a news conference last Friday.

http://www.cw.ua.edu/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/09/12/3f615ac218b7b

[johnny]

Great article with some really scary statistics, funny how they can vary so much from the National Missing children's?

Most abducted children are abducted within three blocks of there homes, within there safety zone.

[Bailey1]

It really bothers me that these links have NO PICTURE of the child or the mother? How are people supposed to get emotionally and intimately involved without face to face contact? 1) to recognize the child and 2) to promote empathy with the mother.

Why isn't this news national? This Mother's plea is very real and heartfelt. My heart and prayers go out for her daughter and her family. How tragic.

[mindys]

Bailey, that is a major pet peeve of mine with the media. 9 times out of 10 I follow a link posted to an article about one of these missing kids and there's no picture!! Its senseless, that's the most important thing!

[tthoman]

BAILEY:

There have been MANY pictures of little Heaven in the Tuscaloosa News which is the local newspaper which serves Tuscaloosa and Northport (which is located right across the Black Warrior River from Tuscaloosa. The Black Warrior River divides the two cities).

I think that the student newspaper (the CRIMSON WHITE) of the University of Alabama has also carried her picture. There has been a lot of interest, locally there. People care.

More than likely, the Birmingham News, (the newspaper of Birmingham which is only around 60 miles away from Tuscaloosa/Northport), has also carried her photograph at some point in time.

Many have done their best to locate this child.

[johnny]

Police command center used in search for Shae Ross closes

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?SearchID=73147139091094&Avis=TL&Dato=20030912&Kategori=NEWS&Lopenr=309120342&Ref=AR

Gov. Bob Riley authorized a $5,000 reward on Wednesday for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for the disappearance of Shae.

“I am very pleased that Gov. Riley has issued the reward. Hopefully, this will prompt those with information about Shae’s disappearance and whereabouts to come forward so that she can be found and returned home safely to her family," Tuscaloosa County District Attorney Tommy Smith said in a press release announcing the reward.

[johnny]

Wonder why no thanks were given to Stan Pate who gave $50,000.00 and a local grocer who gave $5000.00 and another who gave $10,000.00. Not to mention the businesses who made donations....sounds like the Chief is doing a little political butt kissing!!

[tthoman]

JOHNNY:

Don't know the answer to that one Johnny.....am not familiar with the politics of the chief. It's possible Riley was the latest person to donate and the others have already been recognized in the Tuscaloosa News.

[johnny]

Actually while we were in Alabama helping with the search the police were upset when Stan Pate donated the money for the reward. As far as any other thanks ...thanks hopefully aren't the reason Stan and the others made the donations.

[johnny]

A family snapshot of Heaven LaShae Ross

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030914/NEWS/309140362/1007

[johnny]

Some really strange quote from the boyfriend ??? He'd check her out from school and they'd ride around etc.

[tthoman]

JOHNNY:

Yep....fishy business going on....don't like it. Abnormal relationship with Thompson.

I don't remember who Mr. Pate is (we used to live there)....what business is he in and why would the police chief object to his donation?

[johnny]

Apparently he is very wealthy and owns several businesses and property, not sure what his main line of work is though.

Also he has contributed in at least one other missing persons case and while we were in Northport the police seemed upset that we had came down to volunteer as well. Probably more of the normal turf war thing.

[tthoman]

JOHNNY:

There are so many millionaires who reside in the area you would be amazed!

The whole area is beautiful, as is the campus in Tuscaloosa. Love the river.

[Bailey1]

tthoman, I don't live in the local area so what good do those pictures do to those outside the area? What I am referring to is National coverage? Danielle Van Dam lived in San diego but I saw pictures of her everywhere all through the time she disappeared to the trial and conviction of her killer. Samantha Runnion was on our local news in NEW JERSEY time and time again even though she was abuducted in CA.

I guess if I was aware of the local sites I'd go there but was wondering why there isn't more coverage of her picture elsewhere. It's not just this case its alot of cased.

I agree with Mindy's it is so frustrating to see a write up of missing child and be on the lookout but no picture? Whos' to say these children are even in the area any more.

And one more thing...I AGREE THIS STEP DAD IS SUSPICIOUS! Taking her out of school to go joy riding? Preferring the urban areas...spending a couple days a week with him and him alone? He had an UNUSUAL connection with her too? That is Pedaphile material all over it. Had to have her by her side all the time.

Please let this mother do her homework on this guy. The fact she has been with him so long tells me if he is the one responsible..how tragic this mother knew nothing?

[tthoman]

BAILEY:

You're right........it reeks of big time child abuse, sexual as well as other. The police probably suspected him from the beginning.

[stormonster]

I'm not saying it's plausible or not but ... Shae left the house shortly after seven, the boyfriend came to the bus stop to give them a ride. I don't know what time that was, but it would presumedly be before 8:00. Our school starts at 7:50.

What would he, or could he have done during that time, where was she? Maybe in the trunk? What scenarios could be in play here? I know we all like to brainstorm.

Why would he call attention to the fact that she was missing that early in the day. He could have had all day to do whatever and cover it up and then report her missing after school and then find out she never made it to class, etc.

At this point, I just don't see him doing it. The window of opportunity was so small.

If she grew up thinking of him as a father and he raised her like a daughter, they would spend a lot of time together and it wouldn't be odd. The only thing that I think even could make it look funny is that she is missing. I'd like to know about his relationship with her older sister. The family spoke about him spending time with Shae, riding with her, etc. trying to shed a good light on him. You just never know how something will sound until it's said. Also, it said that they spent the days during the week with his family. That would be ok wouldn't it. Well I guess it depends on the family ... his mama, neices and nephews, etc. sure ... just his brothers, nephews, etc. well, maybe not so sure. See what I mean, it just really could go either way.

Ok, enough rambling, I don't even know where I was going with this. Just random thoughts I guess.

[tthoman]

STORMONSTER:

All good points.
Northport is full of woods