Found Deceased MO - Titus Tackett, 3, Killarney Shores, 10 Feb 2016

[Midge Montana]

After much hunting with Google Maps, I believe I have found where the boy was found.

I belive it is right near the Intersection of Collins Lane + Route 72 which is near Lake Killarney, MO

The Post 63 today shows a helicopter shot and it seems to match the Google maps sattelite view.

Now if we can just figure out where his starting point was.

I'm completely useless with Google maps. I appreciate those of you who can find and share an even then I can rarely navigate the street views. Not sure why I just can't get the hang of it?

 

[white rabbit]

seriously, sonjay...omg. thank you for the link. heartbreaking and utterly serious.

IMO that child is not normal nor is the circumstance...i have family in newtown, connecticut. don't get me started on a child that starts out with "simple pranks"...

 

[white rabbit]

once again, thank you luvhockey...fascinating case. you started the thread, and much appreciated.

a sad ending to a sad day. hope tomorrow brings a shining light to you and yours. goodnight folks.

 

[Betty P]

About 20 years ago or so, in my neighborhood there was a 3-year-old boy who snuck into his parents' bedroom in the middle of the night while they were asleep, took the car keys from the dresser, then snuck out of the house and took the car for a joyride. He made it pretty far before running off the road and into a ditch.

Then a few months later that same boy was playing with a lighter and burned their house down. (I don't think anyone was hurt or killed.)

As far as I recall, this was a normal family with normal, loving parents who happened to have a kid who was far too mischievous for his own good.

Anyone who has raised boys (I raised 2 active ones), has a long list of stories like this. My own father crawled out of his crib at the age of 3, went to the front door and used a broom handle to open the hook placed high on the screen door. He went outside where the neighbors found him playing in the middle of the street. Early Sunday morning, before 6 am. My grandmother had to move his crib away from the window because he kept opening the screen and crawling out to wander around in the yard.

We were having a birthday party for my youngest - his 3rd birthday. As we gathered around the table to light the candles on his cake, we saw him outside the front bay window running across the yard to the street, chasing a balloon. That fast.

Sadly, this tragic story doesn't surprise me. The little fella probably woke up, realized he wasn't home, couldn't find his parents and went out the door to look for them.

 

[luvhockey]

After much hunting with Google Maps, I believe I have found where the boy was found.

I belive it is right near the Intersection of Collins Lane + Route 72 which is near Lake Killarney, MO

The Post 63 today shows a helicopter shot and it seems to match the Google maps sattelite view.

Now if we can just figure out where his starting point was.

Street view shows it's the same house, even down to the boat

 

[sonjay]

Anyone who has raised boys (I raised 2 active ones), has a long list of stories like this. My own father crawled out of his crib at the age of 3, went to the front door and used a broom handle to open the hook placed high on the screen door. He went outside where the neighbors found him playing in the middle of the street. Early Sunday morning, before 6 am. My grandmother had to move his crib away from the window because he kept opening the screen and crawling out to wander around in the yard.

We were having a birthday party for my youngest - his 3rd birthday. As we gathered around the table to light the candles on his cake, we saw him outside the front bay window running across the yard to the street, chasing a balloon. That fast.

Sadly, this tragic story doesn't surprise me. The little fella probably woke up, realized he wasn't home, couldn't find his parents and went out the door to look for them.

That's what I think. It's so terribly heartbreaking, but I haven't seen anything so far about this case that sets off my hinky meter. Little kids are often capable of far more than we would think.

 

[Hatfield]

Seriously.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19931114&id=eK1NAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gPwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6966,1962825&hl=en

ETA:

I didn't remember that it was only a month after the joyride that he burned down the house, nor did I remember the complaint about lack of supervision. But I remember the joyride and the burned-down house. They lived just about a mile or so from where I lived at the time. It was a middle-class suburban neighborhood filled with normal middle-class suburban people.

That's really incredible.

 

[Hoosgirl]

After much hunting with Google Maps, I believe I have found where the boy was found.

I belive it is right near the Intersection of Collins Lane + Route 72 which is near Lake Killarney, MO

The Post 63 today shows a helicopter shot and it seems to match the Google maps sattelite view.

Now if we can just figure out where his starting point was.

Well done, Hatfield! Wow, that little guy covered some terrain. Either he took the long way around on roads that are pretty desolate, or went through woods. And away from the water, which is of course everyone's normal first worry with a missing child. I wonder why there wasn't much talk about searching Lake Killarney with it being so close? Is it frozen over?

 

[cobalt sky]

The child, identified as three-year-old Titus Tackett, reportedly wandered from the Lake Killarney area in the Arcadia Township. Titus was last seen wearing a diaper.

family realized he was missing around 1 a.m. and found the front door had been opened.

link

http://fox2now.com/2016/02/10/toddler-reported-missing-in-iron-county/

Does anyone remember what was said about the structure in the above photo? Is this the Grandfather's house, or is this where the command center was set up?

 

[JeannaT]

Well done, Hatfield! Wow, that little guy covered some terrain. Either he took the long way around on roads that are pretty desolate, or went through woods. And away from the water, which is of course everyone's normal first worry with a missing child. I wonder why there wasn't much talk about searching Lake Killarney with it being so close? Is it frozen over?

Maybe it's because he was found so quickly, in a van. He was found before noon on the morning he went missing.

 

[mommylicious]

Seriously.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19931114&id=eK1NAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gPwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6966,1962825&hl=en

.

RSBM. Sorry for the OT, but I really wonder what he's up to now!! He'd be about 25??

 

[JadeSLeuth]

No mention of his footprints in the snow?

 

[Midge Montana]

No mention of his footprints in the snow?

I heard the family friend spokesperson say that they didn't have any snow.

 

[Hatfield]

Does anyone remember what was said about the structure in the above photo? Is this the Grandfather's house, or is this where the command center was set up?

Thanks for including the thumbnail photo which is marking both his beginning location and ending location with an X.
Beginning is Pink X and Ending is Blue X.

I believe that structure with the Pink X is the Command Center which was said to be very close to the actual house where the boy was staying. So it is probably close enough to assume that is his general starting point with the Pink X unless someone knows the actual house location.

We know for sure the ending spot where he was found is at the Blue X at intersection of Collins Lane and Route 72.

The Beginning location at Pink X is on Killarney Drive as it passes by Roger Drive and makes the bend out near Route 72.

Excellent job everyone.

Its an interesting route and like someone said earlier the boy either went through the woods or stayed on Route 72 and walked along the highway. Or foul play which lets hope it isn't that. Ill be anxiously waiting for the autopsy results.

Thanks everyone for helping today. Its been an emotional day for everyone. Good night all.

 

[AbbeyBabbey]

Does anyone remember what was said about the structure in the above photo? Is this the Grandfather's house, or is this where the command center was set up?

That would be the command center (the "lodge"). You can see the crime scene unit parked in front of the (apparent) grandfather's house with orange cones blocking the driveway. The property backs right up to the lake. The distance is 0.7 miles from grandpa's house to where Titus was found.

Here is an interactive map:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/37....0x87d8350044cce0c7:0xb36f9447a060add5!1m0!3e0

 

[AbbeyBabbey]

Thanks for including the thumbnail photo which is marking both his beginning location and ending location with an X.
Beginning is Pink X and Ending is Blue X.

I believe that structure with the Pink X is the Command Center which was said to be very close to the actual house where the boy was staying. So it is probably close enough to assume that is his general starting point with the Pink X unless someone knows the actual house location.

We know for sure the ending spot where he was found is at the Blue X at intersection of Collins Lane and Route 72.

The Beginning location at Pink X is on Killarney Drive as it passes by Roger Drive and makes the bend out near Route 72.

Excellent job everyone.

Its an interesting route and like someone said earlier the boy either went through the woods or stayed on Route 72 and walked along the highway. Or foul play which lets hope it isn't that. Ill be anxiously waiting for the autopsy results.

Thanks everyone for helping today. Its been an emotional day for everyone. Good night all.

IMO, there is absolutely no way a 3yo in a diaper / underwear without shoes could walk that dark highway @ 14 degrees for 0.7 miles in the middle of the night. And forget about walking a beeline through the woods. He would have immediately run into houses / structures where he would have sought refuge because he would have been miserable before he got even 100 feet away from home. Someone (not pointing fingers at any relatives) put him in that van. MOO

I don't think a 3yo could walk that distance along that highway in the middle of the day during a comfortable 70-80 degrees in appropriate clothes and good shoes holding an adult's hand. JMO

 

[LayzeeDayzee]

What kind of "errands" does a parent run at midnight that keeps them gone an hour?

Sheriff Medley reportedly told the Daily Journal Online that the boy’s parents said they left the toddler with a grandparent when they went to run an errand around midnight. When the parents returned home around 1 a.m. they noticed the door to the house was open and the child was missing.

http://www.kmov.com/story/31186495/...ing-in-search-for-missing-iron-county-toddler

???

 

[AmyPond]

RSBM. Sorry for the OT, but I really wonder what he's up to now!! He'd be about 25??

OT again. This is just too fascinating. It's truly crazy what some kids are capable of. Looks like he burned another house a few years later. Eek! https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=L9gEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1438,1452310&hl=en

 

[AmyPond]

What kind of "errands" does a parent run at midnight that keeps them gone an hour?

Who knows. Some people grocery shop at night. Or maybe diapers or something.

 

[DatelineFan]

What kind of "errands" does a parent run at midnight that keeps them gone an hour?

I can say that this part doesn't bother me as much. I don't have children, but I love going grocery shopping late at night. It's quiet and empty and I can get it done quickly and more efficiently. If I did have kids and another adult in the house, I could see myself wanting to bring my partner along for some alone time.