CA CA - Hannah, 16, Devonte, 15, & Sierra Hart, 12, Mendocino County, 26 March 2018 #3

[Whiteorchids]

Good theory! My only question is what about Sarah's work? I guess without knowing if she happened to have some days off, we will only be able to speculate. Maybe they already planned this trip though. It's a possibility.

I doubt it neighbors in past said they usually picked up and left to the next location once CPS came around.

 

[RickshawFan]

All the pictures!!! So many I haven't seen.

Observations:

It's too easy to pay attention to Devonte's sign and assume that the hugs were for other people. Devonte needed the hugs for him. His tears at the rally may have been because he was getting hugged; this is much more likely than from some reaction to the rally topic.

Those photos are creepy: fake smiles in every one, all posed. Say cheese and snap. Smiles not big enough? Do over.

Everything is posed to look spontaneous.

No child has ever actually been in that living room. White couches and a cream-toned carpet....With young kids?And a large-ish dog? Bwahahaha!

Where is the money coming from? That living room is expensive....

 

[Talulah]

I doubt it neighbors in past said they usually picked up and left to the next location once CPS came around.

True, but they'd have to arrange for work for Sarah and housing and a million other things. Maybe the impulse to run was what started them down the path to the tragic end result though.

Edited late to say: I mean apart from the abuse. The abuse and them being horrible parents and people definitely started it.

 

[Talulah]

Observations:

It's too easy to pay attention to Devonte's sign and assume that the hugs were for other people. Devonte needed the hugs for him. His tears at the rally may have been because he was getting hugged; this is much more likely than from some reaction to the rally topic.

Those photos are creepy: fake smiles in every one, all posed. Say cheese and snap. Smiles not big enough? Do over.

Everything is posed to look spontaneous.

No child has ever actually been in that living room. White couches and a cream-toned carpet....With young kids?And a large-ish dog? Bwahahaha!

Where is the money coming from? That living room is expensive....

Maybe the kids weren't allowed on the furniture. I did look closely at the rug and it appears a bit dirty or stained to me. It may have just been part of the pattern though.

 

[RickshawFan]

The only seats that recline in this vehicle are the front two. Our kids are 17, 14, 12, 6 and 3... I can’t imagine sleeping in it unless they just all magically fell asleep at the same time while on the road. We travel locally in the Tahoe with one seat in the second row down (7 seats) if we are on vacation we take two vehicles or if it’s a short trip put a cargo shell on top. It is very crowded if we have an extra kid with us and have all 8 seats in use.

Our 6’2” son can fit in the 2nd row where the waters are and ~5’ teen/preteen daughters in the rear row next to the booster seat.

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Sleeping in the car was not at all necessary, and may be the adults didn't sleep at all the night before. The kids could have been asleep while in that pullover.

All the Harts had to do was to pull over to the side of the road in a National Forest and sleep, either in the car or beside it with a tarp or something. There are miles upon miles of National Forest or BLM property a short drive from Highway 101. (Take a look at the map. There are thousands of "developed" National Forest camp spots. They had camping equipment (see photos of at least one trip).

I have spent over 100 overnights sleeping in the car along Highway 101.

 

[RickshawFan]

Maybe the kids weren't allowed on the furniture. I did look closely at the rug and it appears a bit dirty or stained to me. It may have just been part of the pattern though.

That's exactly my point. There's so much about appearances and staginess about this family.

But seriously, who even buys white furniture with 6 kids unless it's white slip-covers that can be removed and cleaned?

There are more solo photos of Devonte than the other kids?

 

[debbiegarcia36]

http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ln-hart-crash-body-20180407-story.html

Body found in the surf could be one of the missing children.

So sad. It most likely is one of the girls.

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[Talulah]

Sleeping in the car was not at all necessary, and may be the adults didn't sleep at all the night before. The kids could have been asleep while in that pullover.

All the Harts had to do was to pull over to the side of the road in a National Forest and sleep, either in the car or beside it with a tarp or something. There are miles upon miles of National Forest or BLM property a short drive from Highway 101. (Take a look at the map. There are thousands of "developed" National Forest camp spots. They had camping equipment (see photos of at least one trip).

I have spent over 100 overnights sleeping in the car along Highway 101.

Just thinking: the police obviously have access to financial records, yet they appealed to the public for information about their route and any sightings, right?. I think they may have used cash. They traced Jen to Safeway from her using her club card. Either she didn't yet know what she was going to do, or she used it out of habit. But that doesn't explain the lack of financial trail. They would know if they stayed at either a hotel or paid to access to campground. So they either slept in the car, went somewhere that was free, or paid cash. Hmmm... Of course, the police also used cell phone pings to determine some things, so they should already have a good idea of where they were. They must have chosen not to say for now.

 

[Talulah]

That's exactly my point. There's so much about appearances and staginess about this family.

But seriously, who even buys white furniture with 6 kids unless it's white slip-covers that can be removed and cleaned?

There are more solo photos of Devonte than the other kids?

I guess people that care a lot about appearances. I have an aunt that bought a white sofa when she had two toddlers. They had a restriction on any food leaving the kitchen and dining area and the kids weren't allowed on the couch, which was in the middle of their living room. Seems crazy to me!

 

[RickshawFan]

Here's something I hadn't thought of. What if one or more of the children kept a journal? It would be really common that out of 6 children several of them would have had one. I will also note that unless the photos were completely staged, some of the children were reading pretty high level books. If that is true, and there are journals, they could really shed some light on what was going on in that house.

******

All the photos looked staged to me, the book ones especially.

Several photos are taken from above. That's a very deliberate, thought through (i.d. not casual or spontaneous), position to take a photo from.

 

[Talulah]

All the photos looked staged to me, the book ones especially.

Several photos are taken from above. That's a very deliberate, thought through (i.d. not casual or spontaneous), position to take a photo from.

Yeah, they all look staged to me as well. A carefully curated image of their life.

 

[RickshawFan]

I guess people that care a lot about appearances. I have an aunt that bought a white sofa when she had two toddlers. They had a restriction on any food leaving the kitchen and dining area and the kids weren't allowed on the couch, which was in the middle of their living room. Seems crazy to me!

The thing is, though, that photo shows a child and a dog in the living room. It sure doesn't look as though they were allowed in there. Let alone the dog. This whole photo seems unlikely.

I shudder at the way books are being used as props in these photos....

That study with the books in it is an adult room. No kid stuff in sight except for the kids. I call staged.

Doesn't it seem likely from the photos that you'd have to go through the living room to go pretty much anywhere in the house? Like upstairs? Maybe the kids were sleeping in the basement?

 

[Talulah]

The thing is, though, that photo shows a child and a dog in the living room. It sure doesn't look as though they were allowed in there. Let alone the dog. This whole photo seems unlikely.

I shudder at the way books are being used as props in these photos....

I'm suggesting that perhaps they let the kids in the room itself, but did not let them sit on the furniture. But it's also possible they only allowed him in there to take the picture. Oddly, I didn't see any pictures of the kids in their bedrooms. I bet that would tell a story they didn't want told.

 

[RickshawFan]

The kids are wearing costumes in almost all the photos. All an act.

And that's a lotta clothes! Even hats. What's with the hats? All those layered and large clothes might have been used to cover bruises or malnutrition? I'm speculating.

 

[katydid23]

Just thinking: the police obviously have access to financial records, yet they appealed to the public for information about their route and any sightings, right?. I think they may have used cash. They traced Jen to Safeway from her using her club card. Either she didn't yet know what she was going to do, or she used it out of habit. But that doesn't explain the lack of financial trail. They would know if they stayed at either a hotel or paid to access to campground. So they either slept in the car, went somewhere that was free, or paid cash. Hmmm... Of course, the police also used cell phone pings to determine some things, so they should already have a good idea of where they were. They must have chosen not to say for now.

Even if you try to pay with cash on a motel/hotel, they will ask for ID and your car plate #. Most California hotels/motels require a credit or debit card, even if you want to pay the bill in cash at checkout. They want a way to charge you for damages if they discover them after you already left.

Especially if the front desk saw 6 teens, being checked in....they'd want a credit card, in my opinion.

I really don't think they checked into a room anywhere. Even if they paid cash, we'd know about it, imo.

 

[LietKynes]

Marking my spot.... like walking down into a dark basement , and find further levels down below that one--- with locked doors...
Utterly creepy and so tragic for those children who need love and nourishment !!!

 

[Talulah]

I'm suggesting that perhaps they let the kids in the room itself, but did not let them sit on the furniture. But it's also possible they only allowed him in there to take the picture. Oddly, I didn't see any pictures of the kids in their bedrooms. I bet that would tell a story they didn't want told.

For what it's worth, I have friends on Facebook who are photographers who take and post highly stylized pictures of their children. With the Harts, I think a lot of it was about projecting a certain kind of image, but perhaps some of it can be explained by a desire to create artistic shots. I'm not sure I buy that though, seeing as how the pictures all seem posed. Surely you would take pictures of happy moments that show joy and spontaneity, unless the home situation was so bad you had to force the children to look happy.

 

[shana]

[FONT=&amp]From Newport, Oregon, the family drove south on Highway 101 all day until cellphone pings indicate they reached Legget in Mendocino County, and turned onto Highway 1, the CHP said. Authorities believe they reached Fort Bragg about 8 p.m. March 24. Surveillance footage from a Fort Bragg Safeway showed Jen Hart purchasing bananas about 8:15 a.m. the next morning. CHP Officer Cal Robertson, a spokesman for the agency’s northern division, said the family left town at 9 p.m.

Source: [/FONT]http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/8182783-181/possible-fort-bragg-sighting-of

So what were they doing, where were they for those 24 hrs plus? Presumably sleeping in the vehicle and/or awake at various times? What must have the family conversations been about, or were they just between the parents and shielded from the children? What were the kids doing and did they try to talk amongst themselves?

To me, these hours are key to what broke-down. I choose not to speculate on what went-on, beyond just noting that there was a long stay and a lot of 'something' that went-down before they took-off and soon arrived at the turnout/cliff.

~jmo~

 

[Talulah]

Even if you try to pay with cash on a motel/hotel, they will ask for ID and your car plate #. Most California hotels/motels require a credit or debit card, even if you want to pay the bill in cash at checkout. They want a way to charge you for damages if they discover them after you already left.

Especially if the front desk saw 6 teens, being checked in....they'd want a credit card, in my opinion.

I really don't think they checked into a room anywhere. Even if they paid cash, we'd know about it, imo.

Super good point.

 

[RickshawFan]

Just thinking: the police obviously have access to financial records, yet they appealed to the public for information about their route and any sightings, right?. I think they may have used cash. They traced Jen to Safeway from her using her club card. Either she didn't yet know what she was going to do, or she used it out of habit. But that doesn't explain the lack of financial trail. They would know if they stayed at either a hotel or paid to access to campground. So they either slept in the car, went somewhere that was free, or paid cash. Hmmm... Of course, the police also used cell phone pings to determine some things, so they should already have a good idea of where they were. They must have chosen not to say for now.

No cell phone pings up those deep river valleys and into National Forest land. There's at least one free campground that I know of, off Hwy 101 in southern Oregon. But in the winter, no one's going to be checking some of those remote places.

They also could have slept on the beach. There's also a free beach campground near Coos Bay.