GUILTY NY - Brittany Fish, 5, Syracuse, 24 April 2004

Love_Mama said:

It's called 911 Enhanced!
xxxxxo
mama

http://news10now.com/content/all_news/?ArID=17343&SecID=83

911 Center upgrade helped alert neighbors to an abduction
Updated: 4/27/2004 7:29 AM
By: Carmen Grant, News 10 Now Web Staff

The hunt for a predator continues, as police still have not found the man who abducted a 5-year-old girl over the weekend. While Brittany Fish is now safe at home with her family, we now know more about a system that alerted her neighbors of the abduction. A phone message was sent out to thousands of neighbors. It's called enhanced 911.

Click to expand...

Fantastic, Love_Mama! Thanks so much for posting this. I didn't know about this Enhanced 911 call earlier. What a relief! It also forces folk to be aware that the possibility of grave danger exists in and around their vicinity.

PolkSaladAnnie said:

Fantastic, Love_Mama! Thanks so much for posting this. I didn't know about this Enhanced 911 call earlier. What a relief! It also forces folk to be aware that the possibility of grave danger exists in and around their vicinity.

Click to expand...

Interesting huh PSA.........I just don't know that every city has this.........I never heard of it before either! I know here in San Diego is there is an need to find someone, not necessarily a missing child.....sometimes it's someone who just robbed a store.......whatever, helicopter's fly over the neighborhood and use LOUD speakers........with information. About a month ago one went over giving the description of an older woman, age, what she was wearing in where she was last seen! I actully went out in my car to see if I could find her. Didn't.........and don't know what happened. I'm assuming she was possibly a little senile........and just walked away from where she was living.
If they didn't find her.......we would have heard on the news.

Getting back to this little girl, it just make's me furious that her mother would let her our of her sight.........let alone have her walk two block's by herself.
It is unbelivable. The mother here should be put away somewhere........What's wrong with these people, low IQ's.......on drugs.......
.............I'm telling you, some people should NEVER have children. I worry about mine and they're all grown up!

xxxxxxxxxxo
mama

The answer is that if we have children and want to keep them that we best take care of them and protect them or they have a god chance of becoming a victim.

I agree with the above post's, we can't leave our kids in our own yard without worrying about them. When I take my kids to the movies I don't see the movies because I'm concerned about my kids and the odd old man two rows back who is at a childrens movie by himself. Or at the mall at the play area and someone seems to be paying to much attention and doesn't have kids with him. At the park and the same car keeps driving past the childrens area.

I recently took my niece with me to Sams Club and was one aisle away while she was playing on a computer and noticed a man approach her, he didn't notice me and I was only twelve feet away and watched while he attempted to start a coversation with her seeming to be interested in the game but his eyes clearly were interested in her, and as soon as I called her name he turned to see me and rushed off. She said something about him really made her feel creapy and I told her to trust that instinct and never even get started in a conversation period.

These guys are everywhere and its up to all of us to protect our kids and loved ones, this is for real not just in the movies, accept it and deal with it.

johnny said:

The answer is that if we have children and want to keep them that we best take care of them and protect them or they have a god chance of becoming a victim.

I agree with the above post's, we can't leave our kids in our own yard without worrying about them. When I take my kids to the movies I don't see the movies because I'm concerned about my kids and the odd old man two rows back who is at a childrens movie by himself. Or at the mall at the play area and someone seems to be paying to much attention and doesn't have kids with him. At the park and the same car keeps driving past the childrens area.

I recently took my niece with me to Sams Club and was one aisle away while she was playing on a computer and noticed a man approach her, he didn't notice me and I was only twelve feet away and watched while he attempted to start a coversation with her seeming to be interested in the game but his eyes clearly were interested in her, and as soon as I called her name he turned to see me and rushed off. She said something about him really made her feel creapy and I told her to trust that instinct and never even get started in a conversation period.

These guys are everywhere and its up to all of us to protect our kids and loved ones, this is for real not just in the movies, accept it and deal with it.

Click to expand...

You may not know how right you are. And since, going by your hat, I assume you are a man, I am so encouraged and pleasantly surprised that you yourself are so tuned in. I've always thought it was a "girl/woman thing"... but definitely there. No one has to be psychic, or have special abilities to tune into such things. But I do believe that girls first have to mature to a certain age to pick up on subtle clues, unless the creep is very blatant.

Kids are so innocent and trusting of adults. It is such a shame the world is the way it is, because they really SHOULD be innocent and be able to trust. They never let it cross their mind that Mr. X has a different agenda than simply paying extra attention to you to help you with your math, and etc.

My thirteen-year-old "gets it"... and my eleven-year-old is beginning to become more aware, and less trusting, of her surroundings. My nine-year-old however, the gifted one with a genius IQ, is CLUELESS! So I have to watch, watch, watch to take up the slack. She simply doesn't go anywhere unattended. And the few times that tell tale creepy feeling has come over me, I point out the characteristics that I believe have brought out such a feeling... hoping that she will understand. I explain that the person that concerns me has not been tried and convicted of anything that I know of... but I trust my gut because it has not lied to me. My girls are aware that most child molesters get away with an average of thirty crimes before they actually get caught.

An elderly man once did something... though I've never been able to actually discern exactly what... in a movie theater (just as you described) to my now eleven-year-old when she was eight. Either she can't remember exactly what he did, or she has blocked it out, or she knows and simply can't tell us. I was RIGHT THERE... three seats from her. Her sisters and one cousin were there. The movie was the G rated "Cats and Dogs". None of the rest of us saw a thing. But whatever she saw, affected her so profoundly that she required counseling and Paxil for a year.

Babcat, I'm sorry your daughter was so affected. I am very lucky as my daughter has stood up and yelled at the top of her lungs EXACTLY what a man next to her was either doing, or trying to do ( I couldn't quite figure it out, never have. I don't think she really understood it, just that he had no right to have certain parts out that shouldn't be out). And then yelled "Security! Security! Get this piece of garbage out of here!" The guy bolted out the exit near the screen, and they didn't catch him. It was terrible, I couldn't leave my kids, and I wanted to kill the guy. (Now when I tell the story I laugh hysterically, only because the sight of this 6 year old telling this piece of garbage what he really was, was priceless)

But I digress. While I do not agree with letting children go anywhere out of sight alone, in an area where people feel safe, the mother thought she would be safe allowing her daughter to go down a couple of blocks to a friends house, and making sure she arrived. She did not think that extra little bit of what happens if she doesn't arrive. If her daughter travelled that distance before, and always called home when she arrived, the trust was there. If she was not there, and her mother looked out the door and she was not on the route to the friends house (hurt, or with a broken scooter), she would know something happened to her, because her daughter had always been responsible before. Most people aren't out here reading about all the kidnapped children.

What I think sounds weird is that this guy just HAPPENED to find her in an abandoned wherehouse?

Enhanced 911 sounds great! Every city should have it.

I bet she'll be thinking that "extra little bit" from now now.

At least I hope she will. Maybe her daughter needs to be murdered before she gets it. :loser:

LP Moderator said:

I bet she'll be thinking that "extra little bit" from now now.

At least I hope she will. Maybe her daughter needs to be murdered before she gets it. :loser:

Click to expand...

Don't even think such things! It's bad enough that as a society someone has to get hurt or killed just to get LE to take action, even if there has been a previous threat.

I can be empathetic to people living in clueless land, because I was there till 28. That was even WITH a murdered friend. (of course I didn't have kids then, that kind of changed the equation for me)

Ghostwheel said:

Don't even think such things! It's bad enough that as a society someone has to get hurt or killed just to get LE to take action, even if there has been a previous threat.

I can be empathetic to people living in clueless land, because I was there till 28. That was even WITH a murdered friend. (of course I didn't have kids then, that kind of changed the equation for me)

Click to expand...

I know what you're saying Ghostwheel, but I really don't have any patience with people who allow their children to roam around unsupervised. They need to know that its not okay just because they've done it before and luckily nothing bad happened. In our neighborhood there a stay at home father who let's his daughter play outside by herself. We're talking about a 9 year old girl riding her bike blocks away from her house. I almost fell over the first time I saw this. Our neighborhood is pretty secluded and there are no apartments, no freeways close by or anything that would send up warning signs, but to think that just because people live in an upscale neighborhood that the children are safe is foolish.

There is always a balance... trying to allow kids to be kids and enjoy their childhood, and trying to hold on with a crushing grip for fear they will be snatched away at any moment. It is so sad we have to live like this. But as long as pedophiles are returned to the streets after serving time when we KNOW they are not able to be rehabilitated, there will be a world like this.

Most kids are still stafe. The odds are good they will never encounter such a monster. But it is always much like playing Russian Roulette. Every parent who has lost a baby to one of these monsters never thought it would happen to them. It is time to put these men away FOREVER. Even if we have to do it one at a time, and of course that won't ensure the safety of our children, it will keep the revolving doors of the penitentary from spitting out more and more to keep track of. We will never get ahead this way.

Thanks Babcat.

Remember our kids don't always have to know when we're watching them and looking out for them.

A child's freedom is the lifetime we ensure for them.


Its not a matter of fair just the way it is!

I totally agree. Its enuf to give you a nervous breakdown with kids. I don't even have to HAVE my child with me..I am suspicious every where I go when I see little ones. Movie theaters really scare me. These perverts wait for them to exit and go to rest room

Unfortunately alot of the child care facilities that have field trips don't always watch the kids in restrooms. It always frightens me.

Has anyone heard anything new on this case... or an update on the progress of finding suspects?

Bailey1 said:

I totally agree. Its enuf to give you a nervous breakdown with kids. I don't even have to HAVE my child with me..I am suspicious every where I go when I see little ones. Movie theaters really scare me. These perverts wait for them to exit and go to rest room

Unfortunately alot of the child care facilities that have field trips don't always watch the kids in restrooms. It always frightens me.

Click to expand...

Bailey 1.....about 4 or 5 year's ago.......in Oceanside,CA (Just a little north of San Diego) a nine year old boy was stabbed to death in beach restroom. His grandma had taken him to the beach....she was nearby, and he went into the restroom by himself. Now.....that would be something that could happen anywhere if you're not a crime sleuther....or don't think that thing's like that can happen. There are lot's of people like that. It was so tragic.....They arrested the 19 yr. old kid who did it. THere was no reason at all for doing it.
The story just made me cringe!


I guess most of us here are very cautious, I sure am. When my grandson was nine.......I alway's made him go with me into the woman's restroom.
He used to kinda bulk about doing it but I was adament. The world just isn't what it used to be. He's 12 now, and I'm still on edge all the time.....It doesn't make a damn where you live. Up-scale neighborhood, or bad neighborhood.........you have to take what I call "normal" precautions when you caring for children.

Edited.......wanted to add. THe other day I was at our hardware store and saw this little child in a stroller.......and no one around! Finally I pushed the stroller til I found the grandfather in another aisle.....and told him in no certain words........to keep her close to him.....then he look's at me like I'm nuts.......so I told him..........Do you have any idea how many children are abducted and missing everyday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so mad. He's was kind off embarassed but I hope I made some kind of point to keep an eye your children or grandchilden ALL the time!

xxxxxxxxo
mama

Great news. Lock him up forever!
www.syracuse.com/news/poststandard/index.ssf?/bse/news-19/1114331986155070.xml&coll=1

Ghostwheel said:

But I digress. While I do not agree with letting children go anywhere out of sight alone, in an area where people feel safe, the mother thought she would be safe allowing her daughter to go down a couple of blocks to a friends house, and making sure she arrived. She did not think that extra little bit of what happens if she doesn't arrive. If her daughter travelled that distance before, and always called home when she arrived, the trust was there. If she was not there, and her mother looked out the door and she was not on the route to the friends house (hurt, or with a broken scooter), she would know something happened to her, because her daughter had always been responsible before. Most people aren't out here reading about all the kidnapped children.

Click to expand...

I agree. I don't think there was anything suspicious about the call... We have to remember that the main portion of blame belongs to the abductor!

She could have called that house, b/c she was very good friends with the mom, and wanted to reiterate what time she was supposed to return home. She may have chatted with her often.

For the earlier posts: What good would an amber alert do if there's no car or abductor description? Isn't this like crying wolf?

She could have fallen of her scooter and gone to a nearby house for help...

Please don't blame the police... They deal with a lot everyday and every hour!

We've had e911 or reverse 911 for years... we rarely get any calls. I think we've gotten one call and it was about the blizzard of '96.

Love_Mama said:

It's called 911 Enhanced!
xxxxxo
mama

http://news10now.com/content/all_news/?ArID=17343&SecID=83

911 Center upgrade helped alert neighbors to an abduction
Updated: 4/27/2004 7:29 AM
By: Carmen Grant, News 10 Now Web Staff

The hunt for a predator continues, as police still have not found the man who abducted a 5-year-old girl over the weekend. While Brittany Fish is now safe at home with her family, we now know more about a system that alerted her neighbors of the abduction. A phone message was sent out to thousands of neighbors. It's called enhanced 911.

The message that many neighbors heard read, "911 center emergency notification system with an important message. Syracuse police are searching for a missing person in your area. The person they are searching for is a Brittany Fish. She is a white female five years of age, was last seen wearing a white and pink t-shirt with I'm a big sister on it, also wearing shorts. She was on a silver scooter with Barbie on it. She was last in the area of 201 Grumback Ave heading towards the 800 block of Highland Street. If you should see Brittany Fish please contact the Syracuse Police Department at 911.”


911 Center upgrade helped alert neighbors to an abduction

While Brittany Fish is now safe at home with her family, we now know more about a system that alerted her neighbors of the abduction. A phone message was sent out to thousands of neighbors. It's called enhanced 911.

Margot Guido couldn't believe her ears. She and about 6,400 people got the alert Saturday evening shortly after Brittany was reported missing by her mother.

"That's the first time we ever got that a phone call like this. But other way around, it's good to do this so all the people in the neighborhood do know what it is all about," said neighbor Margot Guido.

What would normally take several hours to notify the public, only took about two hours to alert thousands of people in a ten block radius of Brittany's home.

"The system is extremely helpful because now instead of having a few set of eyes such as police officers and firefighters, now you have thousands of set of eyes. You turn the neighborhood and the neighbors into responders,” said Edward Healy, 911 Center.

The system is about two year old and is used for public emergencies like chemical spills, major accidents, and natural disasters. Emergency officials say the system was also put into action in another abduction case.

"I believe that was an older individual who ended up getting released by her abductor in Oswego County, but the abduction alert was used at that time,” said John Balloni, Deputy Commissioner.

The 911 Center is also one of the few phase two centers in the nation that able to locate a person through their cell phone.

"This type of technology and using these new applications will be of great help to law enforcement when identifying missing children. It also enlists the eyes and ears of the public in a very rapid response,” Secretary of State Randy Daniels said.

Click to expand...

Whoever thought of that alert was really thinking! I'm glad they used this if they couldn't use an Amber alert.

June 2005:

Later, Kevin Schaus confessed to four separate crimes -- including three kidnappings that the police did not know were related -- and took investigators on a tour of the abduction sites...

Mr. Schaus told investigators that he snatched his first victim, a 16-year-old girl, on March 22, 2003, as she walked with her friends. Mr. Schaus implicated an acquaintance, Christopher Phillips, as an accomplice in the crime. Mr. Phillips has pleaded not guilty to a kidnapping charge and is awaiting court action...

He pleaded guilty Monday to one count of first-degree kidnapping, two counts of second-degree kidnapping and one count of first-degree sexual assault. He will be sentenced on June 27, prosecutors said, and as part of a plea agreement, he will be sentenced to 20 years to life in prison....

In May, the 5-year-old -- who is now 7 -- was given the National Courage Award from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. "I don't know why he wanted to ease his conscience but he did," said Rick Trunfio, the first chief assistant district attorney for Onondaga County.

Mr. Trunfio said the memory of what happened to the girls would never leave. "Their lives have changed forever. But the real goal is getting the nightmare behind them."

Click to expand...

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2005/06/1...avels-four-unsolved-crimes.html?referer=&_r=0