ID - Robert Manwill, 8, Boise, 24 July 2009 - #2

[passionflower]

It will be interesting to see the response of the mother and her boyfriend
when the word got out about a body found in canal.
IIRC, during the sandra Cantu case, women (mothers) put children in water.
I am wondering if this applies.

 

[nursebeeme]

Good night everyone... man.. what a day.. Thoughts to family and friends of Robert. I think they need as many as they can get right now..

 

[Boyz_Mum]

Am the only one that just wants to cry??? I'm so sad for this child.......yet another one. Dang.

You're not the only one who is driven to cry. If it's not Robert, it's somebody. It just isn't supposed to be this way.

 

[KR2tonenow]

Sorry if this has been posted already:

Nancy Grace:





Breaking: A passerby called emergency workers to report they had seen a body in a canal! The County Coroner is working to indentify the body as we speak. The daily briefing was cancelled today to give officials time to determine if the body is linked to Robert Manwill...

(from Facebook News)

 

[Paintr]

http://www.nwcn.com/statenews/idaho/stories/NW_080309IDN-AP-canal-body-SW.a521bef5.html

The New York Canal, where the body was found, runs from an area near the apartment complex where Manwill was reported missing - and the scene where the body was found, however police officials said it is unlikely the body would be able to get from one point to another.



So if the body didn't float there from the apt complex, then it must have been placed there? Am I getting that correct?

 

[Paintr]

New York Canal

police respond to the discovery

 

[KR2tonenow]

Sounds like the body was placed there, probably dumped. They mentioned that there were crates and would make it diffcult for anything to pass them. Poor Robert!~

 

[mydailyopinions]

My heart is broken tonight. I have read through these threads for days, never commenting because Caylee and Haleigh have almost wiped me out.
I had to comment tonight.

This precious child is now in heaven with all the other missing children whom have passed. They are holding hands and never again will be alone.:grouphug:

I pray for the father and brother of this sweet child and pray harder that whomever is responsible is arrested quickly and receives the worst punishment known to man through a court of law.

I am tired of people picking on the children. Grow some balls and pick on someone who will fight back!:banghead:

 

[Shutterfly]

The profile I linked is on Robert's brother's MySpace 'friends list.' Look what it says across the top, right of the page.

http://www.myspace.com/shortysgirl200146311

 

[DollyPardonMe]

Sounds like the body was placed there, probably dumped. They mentioned that there were crates and would make it diffcult for anything to pass them. Poor Robert!~

From what I have read the body would have had a hard time making it's way from MJ's apartments but an easy time from the house they searched on Friday night. It was only 2 miles from the sight where the body was found. IMO they are all involved..Bless your heart little Robert..Doesnt seem like you had much of a chance from the start. Wish you could have stayed with your Daddy!

 

[nursebeeme]

The profile I linked is on Robert's brother's MySpace 'friends list.' Look what it says across the top, right of the page.

http://www.myspace.com/shortysgirl200146311

OMG.. no words

 

[SailorMoon]

I know this is neither here nor there, but why was Robert with mom? If this were your child and you knew her history, I'd be danged if my child would spend any time there...And no, I'm not blaming anyone at all. Except those cowardly things who did this to him. I'm curious if regular visitation was the norm. Ohh, I just want to smack someone. And it doesn't take too many guesses.
RIP lil man.

 

[UnderDog]

I know this is neither here nor there, but why was Robert with mom? If this were your child and you knew her history, I'd be danged if my child would spend any time there...And no, I'm not blaming anyone at all. Except those cowardly things who did this to him. I'm curious if regular visitation was the norm. Ohh, I just want to smack someone. And it doesn't take too many guesses.
RIP lil man.

Visitation is an order of the court. Charles Manwill had very little choice in the matter except going to jail. It was FAMILY LAW that contributed to this tragedy. FAMILY LAW is something that is desperately in need of reform. It makes divorce profitable and has a distinct bias toward Mothers over Fathers. It's antiquated and convoluted.

And it is a revenue generator for the State. Federal funds are paid for collections and convictions (right or wrong) with absolutely NO consideration for the very concept of "family", IMHO.

 

[DollyPardonMe]

I do believe this little angel is Robert. But, if it isnt, it is someone elses angel that was floating towards Heaven today. I'm not good with words sometimes and music always says it better for me. So may I share this with you in remembrance of the little ones that have floated out of our lives here at W/S's.

YouTube - Stranded In Heaven - Pink Lemon Music

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Updated articles for reference since most of them have been updated & with new added info!

UPDATE: Police: Body found in canal matches Robert Manwill
Published: 08/03/09
<snipped>
Police say a body pulled from an Ada County canal matches the size and age of an 8-year-old boy who disappeared more than a week ago.

Boise Deputy Chief Jim Kerns said Monday the Ada County coroner had not identified the body and was performing an autopsy.

Kerns said the family of Robert Manwill had been notified.

Article:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/531/story/854904.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UPDATED: Police: Body found in canal matches Robert Manwill
August 3, 2009 8:34 PM ET
<snipped>
Police say a body pulled from an Ada County canal matches the size and age of an 8-year-old boy who disappeared more than a week ago.

Boise Deputy Chief Jim Kerns said Monday the Ada County coroner had not identified the body and was performing an autopsy.

Kerns said the family of Robert Manwill had been notified.

A passerby called emergency workers Monday to report they had seen a body floating in the canal near Kuna about 1:30 p.m.

Article:
http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=10841065
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UPDATE: Body 'same age & size' as Manwill, no positive ID
08:23 PM MDT on Monday, August 3, 2009
<snipped>
The coroner's office is working to make a positive identification on the body, but that determination is not expected to come until Tuesday. An autopsy will be performed on the body.

&#8220;A missing child is every family&#8217;s nightmare, and a nightmare for an entire community," Kerns said. "(This case) remains under active investigation. Detectives are working closely with the coroner&#8217;s office.&#8221;

The New York Canal, where the body was found, connects an area near the apartment complex where Manwill was reported missing - and the scene where today's body was found, however police officials tell NewsChannel 7 it is not certain the body would be able to get from one point to another.

There are at least five grates in the water between the two scenes that could block objects from passing through. The canal measures about 14 miles between the apartment area and the location where the body was found.

VIDEO: UNCUT: Watch news conference
http://www.ktvb.com/video/index.html?nvid=385791

VIDEO: Coroner to ID body
http://www.ktvb.com/video/index.html?nvid=385729

View Larger Map:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...340237&spn=0.052295,0.054502&t=h&z=14&iwloc=A

Article:
http://www.ktvb.com/news/localnews/stories/ktvbn-aug0309-kuna_canal_body.a50d15f2.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UPDATED: The search for Robert Manwill: No ID on body, but same age and size of Manwill, police say
Published: 08/03/09
<snipped>
Melissa Jenkins left the Boise police headquarters in tears Monday afternoon, and later police officials confirmed why: The body found in a canal between Boise and Kuna Monday is of a boy about the same age and size of her missing 8-year-old son, Robert Manwill.

Deputy Chief Jim Kerns said that so far Monday, officials don't have a positive ID on the body, though. That could have to wait until Ada County Coroner can work to determine who the boy was and how he died Tuesday.

The canal is the same one that crosses Vista Avenue less than a half-mile away from the apartment where Robert was reportedly last seen. The spot where the body was found is around 2 miles southeast from the Boise home near Five Mile Road that police searched Friday night.

A canal company worker said it would be possible for a body to travel from where the canal passes Vista Avenue to where a body was found Monday.

VIDEO: Monday's press conference
http://videos.idahostatesman.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=5432054&item_index=1&all=1&sort=NULL

Photo Gallery: Search for 8-year-old Robert Manwill
http://www.idahostatesman.com/397/gallery/848267.html

MAP: Where the body was found
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=E Deer Flat Rd & Stewart Rd, Kuna, ID 83634&sspn=0.003603,0.006738&ie=UTF8&t=k&z=17&iwloc=addr&om=0

Article:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/eyepiece/story/854612.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UPDATED: Police: Body resembles Manwill, but no identification yet
August 3, 2009
<snipped>
Kerns described how the Ada County Sheriff's Office discovered the body:

"This afternoon at approximately 1:28 p.m., a citizen called police dispatch after seeing a body floating in the New York Canal near Cloverdale Road, just north of Deer Flat Road. As Ada County deputies were responding, another citizen reported also seeing a body floating just west of the initial location.

"At this time we do not have a positive ID on the body," Kerns said. "I can tell you the body found today floating in the canal is that of a young boy, approximately the same age and size as Robert Manwill. Robert's family who has been incredibly strong throughout this ordeal has been notified that a body has been found."

Kerns called the boy's family a "source of strength" for investigators.

"A missing child is every family's nightmare and a heartache for this entire community," he said. "All of us, including the investigators on this case, have said to ourselves, 'What if Robert were my child?' Our hearts go out to Robert's family tonight (Monday) as they wait in private for a positive ID from the coroner."

Article:
http://www.idahopress.com/?2009-08-...press-conference-to-investigate-possible-lead
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UPDATE: Robert Manwill's disappearance remains active investigation
August 3, 2009
<snipped>
Boise Police Deputy Chief Jim Kerns says the disappearance of 8-year old Robert Manwill remains under active investigation. This comes after the body of a boy was pulled from a canal between Boise and Kuna. Police say the body from the canal is the same age and size of Robert, but it has not been identified. An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday.

Article:
http://www.kboi.com/Article.asp?id=1434459&spid=
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UPDATED: Police: No Positive ID On Body
Updated: Aug 3, 2009 08:28 PM EDT
<snipped>
Boise Police will wait until tomorrow to announce a positive identification on the body found in the New York Canal this afternoon. Deputy Chief Jim Kerns said the autopsy will be performed on the body tomorrow, but did confirm the body matches the same size and age of missing 8-year-old Robert Manwill.

Deputy Chief Kerns says one of the first officers on the scene jumped in and pulled out the body after it was called in by a civilian. He says the family has requested privacy at this time.

"A missing child is every family's nightmare," Deputy Chief Kerns said.

Article:
http://www.kivitv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10823713
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Experts warn against drawing conclusions in Manwill case
Story Created: Aug 3, 2009 at 2:29 PM MDT
Story Updated: Aug 3, 2009 at 2:29 PM MDT
<snipped>
Even as police conducted an intense search of the apartment where Robert's mother and her boyfriend live, officers say they have no suspects and urge the public not to draw conclusions.

But it's apparently hard for some people not to, given the couple's criminal record and the mom's absence from recent press briefings.

"She showed a little remorse the first day," said Keisha Bell of Boise, who has been volunteering in the search for Robert. "But on the second day, she showed no remorse."

And while thanking the community for its support, Robert's family has also addressed community suspicions.

Article:
http://www.2news.tv/news/local/52376192.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NEW! Neighbors react to news of body found in canal
Story Created: Aug 3, 2009 at 11:09 PM MDT
Story Updated: Aug 3, 2009 at 11:15 PM MDT
<snipped>
While police are not saying if the body belongs to missing 8-year-old Robert Manwill they did say during a news conference the body matches the age and size of Robert. It's news that has many in this community nervous about the outcome of Robert's case.

They walk to a makeshift memorial set up for Robert Manwill with heavy hearts.

Some of the residents who showed up know Manwill.

"He has that beautiful shy smile that we talk so much about," said Gloria DeKelley, recalling times she has seen Robert playing at the apartment pool.

Members of Manwill's family did show up to the memorial site on Monday evening, including his mother. They continue to ask for privacy right now, waiting to see what will be released Tuesday. They did thank the community for showing support and appreciate the site that has been established outside Robert's apartment.

VIDEO: Neighbors react to news of body found in canal
The Ada County Coroner has confirmed the body pulled from the New York Canal Monday afternoon is that of a young boy. But police say as of right now they are waiting to positively identify the body. It's news that has some members in the community nervous about the outcome of missing Robert Manwill's case.
http://www.2news.tv/news/local/52396997.html?video=YHI&t=a

Article:
http://www.2news.tv/news/local/52396997.html

:angel:

 

[Idaho-native]

I just found this forum yesterday.

I have both a brother and a sister that lives in the apartments where Roberts mother lived. My brother and his family lived in a different building, but my sister lived in the same building. Earlier that evening one of my nieces was playing with Robert. She went to talk to another one of my nieces and when she went back to the playground he was gone. If it wasnt for that I myself would question if he actually went missing that day or prior.

I do know that on the Thursday they searched the apartment my sister was outside on her balcony when the cops swarmed in out of nowhere. She said they went right to the bf's vehicle (Im assuming that was the red suburban) and yelled "I've got a positive". What exactly that meant she wasnt sure.

It was that next day when the word was they were investigating some "turned dirt" at a home. I cant help but wonder if the body had originally been taken to this house and later removed and taken to the nearby canal.

I had asked the question over and over how they could have got his body out of the house without being seen. The only thing I can think of is the Friday night he went missing his body was in the apartment when it was called into the police. They kept stressing he may be spending the night at an unknown friends house. If they gave the police reason at least for that night to think it wasnt anything more then a kid taking off then they probably wouldnt have searched every little space in the apartment or vehicle. It would be reasonable that sometime in the middle of the night when things were clear the body could have been moved to the home where the turned dirt was. Of course this is all speculation, but I cant come up with any other way this child could have been removed dead or alive from this complex without someone seeing him. Knowing that he was playing with the kids and within a few hours he was called in missing. This is a fairly large apartment complex. By 10ish when he was called in it would have been only dark for maybe 45 minutes. On a Friday evening when it was still light someone would have seen something if that body would have left. Even if it was made to look like a sleeping child it would have been seen. IMO......

 

[breanna]

*Heavy heavy sigh * This is so incredibly sad.

I'm curious. When was the last time anyone here saw a missing child case where the mother was absent during the pressers? I'm trying to recall. I understand being absent if your child has been the victim of a crime and has been located and you are devastated. But to not be around at all? That is so weird to me. I'd be screaming from the rooftops like a frigging lunatic, begging and crying and pleading.

I commented on thread #1 what I thought happened and I haven't changed my mind. But if Robert did indeed drown and this is just a tragic accident, I'll be back on later to get my foot out of my mouth and eat humble pie.

Prayers and thoughts to Robert's family if this is him, which I fear it is.

RIP little one :blowkiss:

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Welcome to Websleuths, Idaho-native! Sorry we are meeting under these circumstances. But thanks for sharing! Very interesting to hear that Robert was seen on Friday. Do you know what time your niece was playing with him?

 

[SailorMoon]

Thanks DollyPardonMe. I felt some peace for a minute.

Question for Idaho-Native and welcome....do you know if Robert seemed like a generally happy child?? Did your niece play with him a lot or just that night? His pictures seem like little boy full of thoughts. Thx.

 

[DollyPardonMe]

Maybe I watch too many crime shows (CSI, Special Victims Unit, etc) and they call the next of kin for a positive ID. They can usually get it but probably still need to get DNA and all that legal stuff too. Wouldnt they have called Charles Manwill to get an ID on little Robert? If he had been in the water since the 24th of July and his face so bloated he would have been unrecognizable...maybe thats why they have to wait for the coroner to get a positive ID..Sorry to be so gruesome.