Found Safe TX - SS, 8, Fort Worth, kidnapped while walking w/mother, 18 May 2019

[JaneEyre]

I was one of the people driving the streets block by block last night. And it was difficult because at the time, the vehicle and suspect descriptions were pretty vague. I went alone so I would record gray cars with paper tags and send them to a friend of mine who was at home, and she’d compare them to the info that was in at that time. I kept asking myself what Websleuths would do. Is there something here, like, what to do when you’re looking for a kidnapped person?

What I did was I looked up where she was taken on a map and looked at the closest places that he might have taken her. I figured he probably took her to the same area he lived in, maybe to an area that was deserted (like a construction zone, empty lot, or park) or a place where he could blend in (parking garage, hotel, apartment parking lot). I didn’t think they stayed in the area where she was abducted. I ended up searching an area bordered by I-35 to the west, 820 to the east, I-30 to the north and I-20 to the south. It was so dark and there were so many empty, abandoned spaces. I didn’t know if I should look for a car or people. But a few of us who went out last night looking have decided that we will do the same thing every time we can. This area ranks really high on the list of sex trafficking activity. And I want to feel safe walking down the street with my kids.

So, yes, if someone is aware of information and could link me or if you have feedback about how we handled it last night, I’d love to hear it!

Good for you for getting involved. And for what it’s worth, I would have also assumed, as you did, that he had left the area. I was shocked that they were nearby.

 

[Sally Kimball]

Oh, I just meant neighborhood-wise. I thought it was possible they were still in Fort Worth but unlikely they were in the same neighborhood as where she was taken. Or any of the neighborhoods right by it.

Here’s a map, the red dot was where she was taken. The section I drove is outlined in red. You can actually see Forest Hill on the map, but I drew an arrow at it anyway. I have only driven through it on the highway for years and years. The last I knew it was pretty rural.

 

[Herat]

But 'sexual assault' is 'sexual assault.' He would have been on the sex registry if convicted of the rape, no matter what the victim's occupation was. JMO

I agree, but there was no conviction.

The case had to be dropped because the victim wouldn't cooperate and the prosecution had no case without the victim, so it had to be dropped.

So he wasn't convicted and couldn't be put on a sex registry without a conviction

 

[v0x]

Police: Issues With Amber Alert For SS Appear To Be Due To Not Having License Plate Of Suspect Vehicle
Police: Issues With Amber Alert For SS Appear To Be Due To Not Having License Plate Of Suspect Vehicle

Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald said an Amber Alert was issued for the child, but due to certain criteria not being met, citizens may not have received the alert on their phones. Many throughout social media said they never received the alert on Saturday.

The criteria in question had to do with the suspect vehicle’s description, specifically the license plate number. On Saturday, police were only able to say that the vehicle had paper tags.

“In this instance, we had a vehicle description. A semi-vague vehicle description. But not a plate,” Fitzgerald said. “So we were able to leverage what we could out of the Amber Alert system and our social media, and that’s what really helped us… social media saved the day for us.”

Mayor Betsy Price was also in attendance, and she believes there may need to be a change in the Amber Alert’s guidelines.

“The Amber [Alert] program developed years ago when there were not so many cellphones or door cameras or video surveillance, and I don’t know if they’ve updated their guidelines… they probably need to visit that again,” Price said.
Fitzgerald said it concerns the department that the Amber Alert wasn’t received by the general public.

“We will work endlessly to find out why that criteria is set the way it is…” Fitzgerald said.

Fitzgerald and Price said they don’t believe the issue was a glitch.

As a computer programmer, I’d venture to guess this is ancient code desperately in need of an update or complete rewrite.

 

[Herat]

I was one of the people driving the streets block by block last night. And it was difficult because at the time, the vehicle and suspect descriptions were pretty vague.

But a few of us who went out last night looking have decided that we will do the same thing every time we can.

This area ranks really high on the list of sex trafficking activity

Thanks for doing that. It sounds dangerous enough doing this by yourself. I would have wanted someone else with me, and some pepper spray.

I got the impression she was kidnapped from a nice neighborhood. Lots of schools, a park, not too far from TCU.

 

[katydid23]

I agree, but there was no conviction.

The case had to be dropped because the victim wouldn't cooperate and the prosecution had no case without the victim, so it had to be dropped.

So he wasn't convicted and couldn't be put on a sex registry without a conviction

Yes, all true.

But my point was that he is a sexual predator. He was accused by a woman of sexual assault. And charges were dropped because she left the State. But that doesn't mean he was innocent.

The Grand Jury did indict, IIRC.

 

[Sally Kimball]

Thanks for doing that. It sounds dangerous enough doing this by yourself. I would have wanted someone else with me, and some pepper spray.

I got the impression she was kidnapped from a nice neighborhood. Lots of schools, a park, not too far from TCU.

It is a really nice neighborhood. Big, old houses. Servants quarters in the back. It’s bordered by a hip, artist neighborhood to the north and another neighborhood to the south. It’s kind of separated from TCU l, but the school isn’t far. It’s close to a bunch of hospitals and the zoo and some really good restaurants. There’s an Apple Store nearby. As soon as you hit 35 and head east though, the neighborhoods get pretty tough. Here’s a pic I took of some sort of business on a street that had like two streetlights on the whole thing.

SS’s mom is a friend of a friend. I didn’t get the call to help until like 9 pm and I didn’t know how to like...call someone up and be like “Would you like to spend a very unpleasant 3 hours together?” It was scary and sad and I felt like I was failing. The only thing that kept me going was the thought of what it would be like if it had been my child, what I would hope people would do for us, and I wanted to somehow alleviate the absolute horror the mom was experiencing. I know I passed a few people doing the same thing. It was so nice how the community came together. I want us to do that for every child. I would love it if we could figure out the best practices for citizens to respond to an Amber alert and get those out to communities around the world. (I guess they don’t have Amber alerts in other countries, but I’m sure they have something.)

 

[Sally Kimball]

Thanks for doing that. It sounds dangerous enough doing this by yourself. I would have wanted someone else with me, and some pepper spray.

I got the impression she was kidnapped from a nice neighborhood. Lots of schools, a park, not too far from TCU.

Oh and yes, I left an abusive marriage and one of the ladies at the DV charity that helped me told me to keep wasp spray in my car. She says it shoots 40 feet and is more incapacitating than pepper spray or mace.

I thought a lot last night about how many bald medium skinned black men with no facial hair must live in Fort Worth. And I was very nervous about having police sent to someone not at all involved and the situation escalating. That’s another reason I thought having 2 people was good, one gets the info, the other weighs the value of it

 

[annemc2]

Wow, Sally Kimball, that was quite a night! Thanks for sharing your experience. That sounds super scary and stressful. Thanks also for the map. I just kind of figured out where Forest Hill is (my dad worked at the prison nearby). I was followed around by my fair share of creeps while at TCU, too. I am just thrilled that she was found and that they got the bad guy.

 

[MsFacetious]

I agree, but there was no conviction.

The case had to be dropped because the victim wouldn't cooperate and the prosecution had no case without the victim, so it had to be dropped.

So he wasn't convicted and couldn't be put on a sex registry without a conviction

Also the arrest was LESS than a year ago. He was released on bond. In fact his bond then was 3 times what it is right now. Hope there is a bond hearing in his immediate future to raise that.

Even if the girlfriend/prostitute had cooperated he'd still be awaiting trial now in that case.

 

[whatwhatchickenbutt]

Glad SS home. SO many questions. Motive? He's got Organized Crime on his record. Sexual Assault of a prostitute? That's not of a child, but Randos will take any age - especially younger - but generally ONLY bc easier to lure. So this was a nice neighborhood...... and they 'expect more charges.' Trafficker - make a lot of money off selling these girls - and - young.

 

[whatwhatchickenbutt]

He's got gang or 'organized crime' affiliations - messing with a prostitute he sexually assaulted - whom would not press charges. Pimp? They routinely sexually asault their working women. And doesn't have a past of pedo. Does now - *advertiser censored*.

 

[kkdj]

I think we all have to thank that homeowner and his attention to his doorbell video and all the others in the neighborhood who viewed their videos to document what the car looked like.

If the first guy had not been home or had not had his video up and running, we might still be looking for her.

Honestly, it was his video and the traumatized, shocked mother pushed from the car, seen on video, that probably compelled those wonderful church members to go out on their own after midnight to drive around looking for a horrible criminal.

My neighbors dont have video surveillance or alarms but I am every so grateful to have mine and to have videos of deer and birds and passing cars to set off the cameras.

ITA.
I have video surveillance and have helped more than once with seeing a crime/perp occur. Burglaries so far...nothing like a kidnapping....but thank goodness the homeowner had it and could view it in the nick of time. Saved that little girl's life imo.

 

[Herat]

It is a really nice neighborhood. Big, old houses. Servants quarters in the back. It’s bordered by a hip, artist neighborhood to the north and another neighborhood to the south. It’s kind of separated from TCU l, but the school isn’t far. It’s close to a bunch of hospitals and the zoo and some really good restaurants. There’s an Apple Store nearby. As soon as you hit 35 and head east though, the neighborhoods get pretty tough. Here’s a pic I took of some sort of business on a street that had like two streetlights on the whole thing.

SS’s mom is a friend of a friend. I didn’t get the call to help until like 9 pm and I didn’t know how to like...call someone up and be like “Would you like to spend a very unpleasant 3 hours together?” It was scary and sad and I felt like I was failing. The only thing that kept me going was the thought of what it would be like if it had been my child, what I would hope people would do for us, and I wanted to somehow alleviate the absolute horror the mom was experiencing. I know I passed a few people doing the same thing. It was so nice how the community came together. I want us to do that for every child. I would love it if we could figure out the best practices for citizens to respond to an Amber alert and get those out to communities around the world. (I guess they don’t have Amber alerts in other countries, but I’m sure they have something.)

Sally Kimball - Thank you so much for what you did and posting us details about it. I know so many of us wished we could have been there ....doing SOMETHING that night !

And the points you've made are really important to think about in the heat and confusion of the evolving crime information. I'm very glad you are safe and didn't end up in a confrontation or incident with someone, and I'm glad to hear that there are other fine citizens who will do this. After all, it was the citizens that went out in the dark of night not having any idea of what they might get into to find that child. And if they hadn't found her, I fear she would have been spirited away or killed.

 

[kkdj]

JK said he and a friend checked parks, apartments, hotels and other spots in the area until they found SS. When they found her, "we just looked at her and called the police," JK said. "It was an overjoying experience."

JK said he didn't feel like a hero, but rather, a tool used by God to find SS.

'We're damn proud of it': Fort Worth police chief praises community for finding SS

I'm in tears! So proud of those citizens! I feel they saved her life!

 

[kkdj]

Good for you for getting involved. And for what it’s worth, I would have also assumed, as you did, that he had left the area. I was shocked that they were nearby.

I'm assuming he had already rented the room prior to the kidnapping. Then he anxiously went on the prowl.
He's dumb like that and got caught.
Thank goodness she's alive!

 

[Herat]

I'm assuming he had already rented the room prior to the kidnapping. Then he anxiously went on the prowl.
He's dumb like that and got caught.
Thank goodness she's alive!

AND this makes me think he has done this before, elsewhere.

Because he certainly was prepared:

Paper license plates - ( are they fake? Does he just rip off after the crime? Were they still on the vehicle when located?)

Bolthole nearby so he knows exactly where to head after finding a victim -

Daylight time to cruise around nice neighborhood near schools to scout for victims -

I am also interested in what was found in that motel room - drugs to subdue her? Etc.

Pre-Meditated

 

[southernmimi]

I don't think I can think of another case like this at all. I can think of a couple taken out of front yards, or houses... but I don't recall one like this.

This is one of those times when you wish the child had a GPS tracker on them...

I wish Mom had a concealed weapon permit and could handle it herself.

 

[MuddyTires]

Glad SS home. SO many questions. Motive? He's got Organized Crime on his record. Sexual Assault of a prostitute? That's not of a child, but Randos will take any age - especially younger - but generally ONLY bc easier to lure. So this was a nice neighborhood...... and they 'expect more charges.' Trafficker - make a lot of money off selling these girls - and - young.

Where are you seeing organized crime?

 

[oviedo]

I’ve found cases where kids were grabbed in front of witnesses, but not snatched from a mother’s arms.

It just speaks to his impulsiveness.

Just because his method of apprehension is unusual, doesn’t mean that his motive was any different than the countless men who have done the same.

Sexual.

No one sells kidnapping victims, and no one buys them. Not with this victimology.

A bit reminiscent of Jaycee Dugard IMO. So happy for this outcome.