When a child's parent commits murder...

I've often wondered what OJ Simpson's children think of their father, now that they are grown, and if they believe that he murdered their mother. Same being with Burke. Burke's voice is supposed to be heard during the end of the 911 call, asking his parents, "What did you find?" John Ramsey yelled back, "We're not talking to you." It appears that he was rushed away to a friend's house when the police arrived. Patsy claimed that they were trying to protect him. He was also the one JonBenet turned to first, sometimes climbing into his bed at night. Couldn't she also have confided in him?

When Burke turns 18, will the detectives be able to question him about what he remembers happening that night? He has to have overheard conversations between the Ramsey's, telephone calls, etc. I'm sure by now he's formed his own opinion as to what really happened.

Burke is 19. They can ask him anything they want, but he isn't required to talk to them.

I've never thought Burke was involved in JonBenet's death.

I would assume Burke's been raised on pure RST rhetoric, and it's been safer for him mentally to not question that teaching too much.

I often wonder what Burke's reckoning of "that JonBenet thing" is, what he was told happened versus what he may remember or have overheard. I wonder how he feels about it, and how he remembers his baby sister.

I don't expect to hear anything from him while his father is still alive...and maybe not afterward, either.

I don't see Burke coming forward. No matter what happened to JonBenet and no matter what he knows.

Based only upon watching the responses of children of convicted murderers on shows like 48 Hours, it seems most kids deny ALL that points toward their parent's guilt.

Even when the child was very close to the victim and the evidence toward the convicted parent overwhelming, the child usually repeats the defense attorney's words robotically.

I, personally, think that IF Burke had memories of Dec 25 or had overheard anything since, he has twisted anything he doesn't want to know into memories that will allow him to believe whatever he needs to believe.

Nuisanceposter said it better than I:

I would assume Burke's been raised on pure RST rhetoric, and it's been safer for him mentally to not question that teaching too much.

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In terms of what I think about RDI...so far I haven't really thought of Burke being involved in what happened...and was instead coached concerning details which to him had no meaning.

According to his statements...

Jonbenet was not carried asleep into the house. She walked in, and carried things in, and went up the spiral stairs. This, of course, contradicts his parents' story.

When asked if he'd eaten any pineapple that night, he said he didn't remember. (read into that as you will...as technically that is a classic way to avoid answering a question).

He said during the night in bed he heard distant voices in the house.

He also said he was pretending to be asleep when Patsy made the 911 call.

Now...I really wish the original enhanced 911 call was available, so one could see if there really are voices on it. Typically it is thought the 3rd voice must be Burke's...but I've pondered the possibility that if there was a 3rd voice...perhaps it was an unknown party.

If there was a 3rd voice though, and it was Burke's...well, that opens a whole new can...

I think Burke will remain silent forever. Remember that whoever, or whatever, killed JBR could remain a threat to him as well.

olive said:

I think Burke will remain silent forever. Remember that whoever, or whatever, killed JBR could remain a threat to him as well.

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Respectfully, I seriously doubt that.
I believe it was either Burke alone, or Burke and the parents (maybe just Patsy) unknowingly 'finishing the job'.

about Burke's behavior during that time. (And I don't think Burke did it.) That kid knows something.

Bev said:

about Burke's behavior during that time. (And I don't think Burke did it.) That kid knows something.

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Surely he has to?

...the murder of his sister, I think he may decide to share what he knows after John Ramsey has passed on...

cappuccina said:

...the murder of his sister, I think he may decide to share what he knows after John Ramsey has passed on...

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God help that boy if he ever finds himself without parents and money. Can you even imagine what the media will do to him.

Totally off topic, but does anyone find Pam Paugh as icky as I do? She has such an arrogant air about her I just want to slap her chubby face.

Does it say somewhere what the Ramsey's response was to Burke's contradiction to their story about JonBenet walking in the house wide awake that night? I just wondered what their response was? Did they just claim he was mistaken?

Brefie said:

God help that boy if he ever finds himself without parents and money. Can you even imagine what the media will do to him.

Totally off topic, but does anyone find Pam Paugh as icky as I do? She has such an arrogant air about her I just want to slap her chubby face.

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Burke still has a brother and sister to turn to or rely on, if the need should ever arise.

I find Pam Paugh to be thoroughly unpleasant.

Jolynna said:

I don't see Burke coming forward. No matter what happened to JonBenet and no matter what he knows.

Based only upon watching the responses of children of convicted murderers on shows like 48 Hours, it seems most kids deny ALL that points toward their parent's guilt.

Even when the child was very close to the victim and the evidence toward the convicted parent overwhelming, the child usually repeats the defense attorney's words robotically.

I, personally, think that IF Burke had memories of Dec 25 or had overheard anything since, he has twisted anything he doesn't want to know into memories that will allow him to believe whatever he needs to believe.

Nuisanceposter said it better than I:

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While in high school, a good friends' dad was found guilty of repeatedly sedating and then filming *advertiser censored* pictures of his neighbors 14 yo daughter, which were then sold/distributed. Some of the tapes probably still exist. Due to his wealthy connections, the dad served very little time. During the investigation, trial and the following years, my friend and I only discussed it once, very briefly, and my friend took up for his dad by saying "well, the girls dad only reported it to police when he realized he could probably sue and make money off of the situation". I didn't say anything, my friend had suffered so much that I knew he needed to maintain some dignity and quite honestly, I'm pretty sure my friend and his sister was abused so much by their dad (emotionally and possibly sexually as well) that he couldn't find it within himself to speak out,I felt sorry for him. The words my friend spoke to me about his dad's deeds were probably the only time he ever spoke of it to anyone. He just acted like nothing was going on, but it made such a huge difference in his life. He switched friends, his self-esteem fell, he took up with a girl who was certifiably nuts and physically aggressive towards him and his property---so much so his mom had to take out a restraining order against the girlfriend. In the end, he put a gun to his head and blew his brains out. Another friend was with him when he did it and thinks he didn't realize the gun was loaded and was playing around.....but nonetheless, he's dead and he and his sister suffered mightily for what their dad did.

So yes, even when the perp is guilty and even admits guilt, the perps kids are so emotionally torn/confused/ashamed that they might not speak out against their parent.

I would be surprised if Burke ever speaks about that night.

"Totally off topic, but does anyone find Pam Paugh as icky as I do? She has such an arrogant air about her I just want to slap her chubby face."

Where do I sign up for that?

Not all children deny their parents' responsibility. Steve Hodel is convinced his dad was the Black Dahlia killer.

SuperDave said:

"Totally off topic, but does anyone find Pam Paugh as icky as I do? She has such an arrogant air about her I just want to slap her chubby face."
Where do I sign up for that?

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She just really rubs me the wrong way. She's such a know it all!! :razz:

I always thought it was rather arrogant that Pam just "knew" that Patsy had nothing to do with the crime. I remember reading years ago that someone asked her if she ever posed the question to Patsy and her answer was "No!" as if there were no reason to ask.

Here I go again with my "what I would do" that everyone will read and say that everyone's different but I have to say it anyway. I have two nephews right now. Older nephew is 10 and younger is 6. If something like this happened to "6" I would be supportive to my brother and sister-in-law at first but at some point I would be asking them all some seriously tough questions and I wouldn't care who I insulted. I think the White's did this but not Patsy's family.

By the way, we had a small scare with nephew "6" not long ago. My sister-in-law called and said that she sent him up to his room after his bath one evening and she was downstairs cleaning the kitchen, etc. She thought to herself that he sure was quiet so she went to check on him and he was gone. She started looking for him, got nephew "10" involved looking for him, but nothing. The panic increases and she checks the refrigerator in the garage wondering if he crawled in there, the trunk of the car, and every other potentially dangerous place yelling out his name. Well... "10" found him under their bathroom cabinet upstairs...asleep. He said later he was hiding from "10" and fell asleep. My sister-in-law said later that "10" was crying and really upset at the thought of his little brother being gone. I think he took a few years off all of our lives that evening. I wish all missing child stories could have such a happy ending.