RI-Anthony Smith - Johnston

[dmaze105]

This poor man went missing in my hometown on the evening of 9/11 /07 after the police stopped the car he was riding in and brought him to the station for questioning. He is mentally disabled. There are posters posted everywhere and everyone is looking for him, but it seems like he just vanished.

http://www.projo.com/ri/johnston/content/ANTHONY_LOST_09-17-07_0J758SI.3391380.html

[Taximom]

I sure hope LE didn't have anything to do with his disappearance.

[calidreamin]

Hi taximom I hope they didn't have anything to do with the dissapearence either. My hinky meter is going off.

[JanetElaine]

This does sound very weird. The police story is too smooth, almost like it's..... dare I say it.... made up. I'd be glad if I was wrong though.

I sure hope they find this poor guy. Wonder what neighborhood the police station is in? Is there a lot of crime around? What about bodies of water? Maybe he saw something outside that caught his interest and he followed it, like a curious child would?

[dmaze105]

Hi

No further developments regarding Mr. Smith, although I did get a phone call last night from the Johnston PD soliciting donations. No thanks !!! If they hadn't woken me up, I might of asked them if the donations were to help to find Anthony Smith.

Johnston if a very low crime town, although we can't say the same for the local government. The only body of water nearby (within 4-5 miles) is in the park, about 1/2 mile away. That is a small, shallow pond. The police station is located at the intersection of 2 busy roads and next to the middle and high schools. There are plenty of woods around there where he might of wandered off and got hurt, etc. I only live 2 miles from there. There haven't been any foot searches for this man, as far as I know. I don't personally believe the police were involved in this, but one never knows.

link to yesterday's article: http://www.beloblog.com/ProJo_Blogs/newsblog/archives/2007/09/2_police_depart.html

new photo of Anthony Smith: http://www.projo.com/news/2007/smith_poster.pdf

[JanetElaine]

Of course with this little information, there's no way anyone can tell if the police were involved or not.... I just noticed the huge differences between what the uncle said happened, and what the police said (and the latter story sounded very smooth, IMO). I can't think of a reason for the uncle to lie, and the police actions towards Anthony seem very over the top.

But even with all that, the chances that he wandered off from the foyer are big, too.

Do you know if there have been searches at the pond? Even a little bit of water is enough to drown in. How's the weather over there, would people still be in the park and near this pond?

He's been missing for nine days! I can't believe there haven't been any foot searches for him! Especially with those woods nearby. Do you know if anybody hunts in there? If so, he could have found a tree stand, climbed in it and fallen down. But he would have been found by now most likely, since all hunters are busy getting ready for the season. Even so though... they should have a search in those woods IMO!

I feel so sorry for this guy.

[Tranaice]

I sure hope LE didn't have anything to do with his disappearance.

I thought the same thing Taximom when I saw this. I pray they didn't either and he is found safe.

[Bobbisangel]

I sure hope that this man is found. What a shame that LE just sent him out the door instead of having him sit somewhere and wait for his uncle to come and get him. Someone must have allowed him to use a phone or dialed it for him so they would have known that his uncle was coming.

It sounds like they didn't even start searching for him until recently. I think maybe this police department needs an overhaul from the top to the bottom. Race seems to be a problem within the department. They need to get over it.
I'd also like to know how they couldn't tell that Anthony had disabilitys?

[JanetElaine]

Bumping this one.

Dmaze105, do you know if there is any hunting going on in those woods or if they have been searched yet by now?

How's the weather over there been, would any people still be in the park, near the pond? Has the pond been searched yet?

Any other news?

[dmaze105]

Mr. Smith was found yesterday in Danielson CT, about 25 miles from the Johnston PD. He was found in a park and is healthy and fit. He was reunited with his thankful family yesterday. The rest of the story is below. Nice, happy ending :woohoo:

http://www.projo.com/ri/johnston/content/MAN_FOUND_09-24-07_C777VU8.34b6f8a.html

[JanetElaine]

Oh my gosh! Thank you so much for updating us! I am soooo happy he was found safe and sound. I was really worried about this poor guy.

This part is just bringing tears to my eyes:
“He told me his name was Tony Smith and that he was trying to get into the homeless shelter” — about a block away from the park — “but he needed to wait for a relative to bring him or mail him his ID because the shelter doesn’t allow people in without identification.”

Twenty-five days later that was still fresh on his mind... he must have been so confused, wondering why nobody came...

Connecticut State Trooper Stephen Pickett deserves a big round of applause! If he hadn't checked Smith's SSN (and many probably would have ignored the 'homeless bum') he would never have known this man was the object of a statewide search in RI!

This is also interesting:
The disappearance led to extended debates over racial profiling by police departments in Rhode Island and whether the incident would have occurred if Anthony was white.

Plus:
“There needs to be some discussion on how people who are mentally challenged are detained by law-enforcement agencies and who makes the medical determination that they are capable of responding to questions, because I think it’s a medical decision…

I am just really, really happy he was found. :woohoo:

Edited to add: that was a very well-written and informative newspaper article too. You don't see that too much anymore. Richard C. Dujardin did a great job on it, and I wanted to mention this. :)

[Angels_Not_Forgotten]

I am so happy that Mr. Smith was reunited with his family! It does make me just want to cry thinking about how lonely and scared he must have been :(

[Mygirlsadie]

Oh Thank GOD!!! I was just sick to my stomach thinking this poor man was probably injured or worse... Thank you God soooooooooo much!! xoxoxoxo:woohoo:





Mr. Smith was found yesterday in Danielson CT, about 25 miles from the Johnston PD. He was found in a park and is healthy and fit. He was reunited with his thankful family yesterday. The rest of the story is below. Nice, happy ending :woohoo:

http://www.projo.com/ri/johnston/content/MAN_FOUND_09-24-07_C777VU8.34b6f8a.html