CO CO - Kayleah Wilson, 12, Greeley, 28 March 2010 - #1

[YellowSubmarine]

I can't really see a *seemingly* naive 12 y/o planning some sort of getaway - whether to CA or with a BF - without somebody knowing. If everything we've read about her is true, imo, she doesn't have the mindset to do that.

ITA with Sarx about the overdramatization at that age regarding the "stalker". With kids that age, I could totally see it. Plus, with what we've heard, I'd think Kayleah would've talked about this to her mom and we'd know about it. JMO, of course.

 

[danisisa]

Just curious, did you get in touch with someone on the investigation or dispatch?

I believe someon on the investigation....It is better to check and make sure.

 

[eyes4crime]

I can't really see a *seemingly* naive 12 y/o planning some sort of getaway - whether to CA or with a BF - without somebody knowing. If everything we've read about her is true, imo, she doesn't have the mindset to do that.

ITA with Sarx about the overdramatization at that age regarding the "stalker". With kids that age, I could totally see it. Plus, with what we've heard, I'd think Kayleah would've talked about this to her mom and we'd know about it. JMO, of course.

I don't understand how LE works - if a 12yo is missing or has been known to runaway to another state, isn't the harm that could be done to a 12yo hitchhiking the same kind of harm that could be done by a pedophile grabbing a child off the street? ? Seems I'm missing something important here. what's the difference? TIA moo

In Lindsey's case - they thought she ran away to see her father in the armed services. How do they think a 10yo would get there? just don't get it!

 

[sarx]

I don't understand how LE works - if a 12yo is missing or has been known to runaway to another state, isn't the harm that could be done to a 12yo hitchhiking the same kind of harm that could be done by a pedophile grabbing a child off the street? ? Seems I'm missing something important here. what's the difference? TIA moo

In Lindsey's case - they thought she ran away to see her father in the armed services. How do they think a 10yo would get there? just don't get it!

The difference is sadly in the numbers.
Somewhere between 2 and 3 million children run away each year (the numbers are impossible to get accurately because so many are not reported or come home before they are).
Less than 150 children are victim of stranger abductions each year.

Sadly there aren't enough services anywhere to try and track the runaways down, and because they left on their own they fall to the bottom of the pile with priority being given to those who were snatched.

Is it right? No. Is it fact? Yes. Should a change be made? Yes. What can be done? Where would we get the resources? It's pretty much a sad impossibility.

 

[RubyRed]

Mother asks public to keep watch for missing 12-year-old
written by: Jeffrey Wolf 43 mins ago

The mother of a 12-year-old girl who vanished on Sunday while walking to a friend's house for a birthday party says she just wants her daughter home safe.

Both the local police in Greeley and the FBI say there are no new leads in the search for Kayleah Wilson.

Keep an eye out. If they have any information, even if it doesn't seem like it's anything, to contact the Greeley Police Department, the FBI. They are doing all they can, but any info, anything can help. Please just get the word out, her picture - just watch people when you're driving down the road. Keep an eye out. I just want her home. And safe," Wilson said.

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=135778&provider=top&catid=188

 

[grayjay]

I can't really see a *seemingly* naive 12 y/o planning some sort of getaway - whether to CA or with a BF - without somebody knowing. If everything we've read about her is true, imo, she doesn't have the mindset to do that.

ITA with Sarx about the overdramatization at that age regarding the "stalker". With kids that age, I could totally see it. Plus, with what we've heard, I'd think Kayleah would've talked about this to her mom and we'd know about it. JMO, of course.

Me too. On the "stalker" comment, it used to be pervert. Kids called somebody a pervert but it didn't mean a lot more than when they were younger and they said they had cooties or something like that.

 

[RubyRed]

http://thelostnmissing.blogspot.com/2010/04/child-alert-kayleah-wilson-12-missing.html

 

[southern_comfort]

I don't understand how LE works - if a 12yo is missing or has been known to runaway to another state, isn't the harm that could be done to a 12yo hitchhiking the same kind of harm that could be done by a pedophile grabbing a child off the street? ? Seems I'm missing something important here. what's the difference? TIA moo

In Lindsey's case - they thought she ran away to see her father in the armed services. How do they think a 10yo would get there? just don't get it!

In addition to the numbers problem, IMO, it has something to do with society's tendency to view children as property of their parents. We've been moving away from that gradually with the advent of children's rights, but it is still pretty ingrained.

When I was younger and stupid, I had a car and a boyfriend with a drinking problem. One evening, I gave the keys to said boyfriend for a specific purpose that didn't involve drinking, and when he wasn't back a few hours later, I knew he had taken off drinking with my car despite his promises. I called LE and the response was, basically, "Wow, that sucks for you! But it's your car and you stupidly gave him the keys. That was irresponsible. We will keep an eye out for the car (especially since you say he might be drinking), but since you gave him permission to take it and let him drive off, we aren't going to search very hard for it."

I know children are not cars, but I think we (the societal "we"... not literally you and I) have a similar response when it comes to children, subconsciously or otherwise. When their "owners" have done something unwise or allowed the property to move dangerously out of their sight and control, as a society we are far less eager to go out of our way and use limited community resources to right things.

It's different when the "owners" have done everything right and their property is nevertheless snatched. (Think Chelsea King).

The difference becomes less important as we move away from a view of children as property and begin to consider them as little people with their own rights. But, it is a monumental shift and it takes time.

Owww.. my head hurts now! I am going to bed, and I hope to wake up and find that Kayleah is home safe and sound.

 

[RubyRed]

Here is a link to the pics I took today:

http://s759.photobucket.com/home/YellowSub_2010/index

These are pics of the possible route(s) she'd have taken going between her apt and the apts south of the Greeley Mall. I'm hoping to get more tomorrow of other areas of interest surrounding her apt. If anyone has any suggestions/requests, let me know!

Thank you for these pics YellowSubmarine, they are very helpful.

 

[mayelf]

Just a tidbit - When I was 13 I was able to withdraw 500 dollars from a joint account I shouldn't have been allowed to access. Just by going in and asking to withdraw the money at the teller. I went to a greyhound station and was able to buy a ticket across the US (I looked extremely young, younger than 13). That was 13 years ago. But I wouldn't disregard a 12 year old running away. There is a lot that can go on in a teenagers mind and who knows if she had decided to run away. There is a lot of reasons kids run away. There doesn't have to be home problems or arguments involved. Kids can runaway just because they feel the need for adventure. Who knows. I doubt there is any two people in the world that have the same inner thoughts. That's why these cases are so hard, and so important to solve.

I think that this case is very OPEN and LE should be considering everything.

 

[sarx]

What do we know?

Did she have a 17 year old bf (or had in the past)?
The foster mom changed her status about that.

She had been in foster care, why?

Who are the players? There is a lot of confusion about step-dads, x step dads, bio father etc.

I could see a 12 year old who has had a rough life (and it's easy to assume that might be the case if she had been in foster care and removed from her biological family) having fantasies about going to see her father in California to "get away from it all". If she had been taken from her mom (again, the foster care), she may not be that close to her mom. They may not talk and her mom might have no idea what was going on in her head. Kids in those situations have to grow up to fast, but they still aren't grown up enough to do the things they try to do (like say try and head out to California).

 

[Roni]

Thank you for the pictures YellowSubmarine. Thank you for the missing flyer RubyRed, I live 10 miles north of Greeley and printed out some flyers so will get them in business windows in the morning a lot of our community works in Greeley.

 

[eyes4crime]

The difference is sadly in the numbers.
Somewhere between 2 and 3 million children run away each year (the numbers are impossible to get accurately because so many are not reported or come home before they are).
Less than 150 children are victim of stranger abductions each year.

Sadly there aren't enough services anywhere to try and track the runaways down, and because they left on their own they fall to the bottom of the pile with priority being given to those who were snatched.

Is it right? No. Is it fact? Yes. Should a change be made? Yes. What can be done? Where would we get the resources? It's pretty much a sad impossibility.

I think the figure of 150 child abductions a year is sadly misleading.

There are high numbers of missing children and we have no idea what has happened to them. They could be abducted and deceased. That 150# could easily climb if somehow, someway, all the missing were found. moo

Some parents are more adept at 'working' the media - so their child's face stays front and center. Seems Kayleah's family might be having a problem in getting important info out to the public. Maybe LE are lacking media savoy also. MOO

Would be interesting to see stats on runaways - how many return. I simply don't see a 10yo, 12yo etc as having the resources and skill to negotiate the sick people they would come across in hiking to another state. If children can't walk to birthday parties in the middle of the day and be safe, why would a child running away to another state be safe? Children walk to school, to the store, to a friend's home, have an overnight - they are grabbed right before the eyes in a flash. Many disappear. Is it that once a child gets onto the highways and thought to have runaway - it doesn't affect the community anymore? just some thoughts and all my opinions.

 

[sarx]

Over 200,000 children are abducted each year by a family member.

How many of the million plus runaways are abducted? We'll never know.

As far as a 12 year old having the resources and skill, it really depends on the kid and what they've had to grow up with. I've worked with children that were far more ready to take care of themselves and knew how to survive on their own and on the streets than most adults are. The average 12 year old, no, but there's no shortage of kids out there that have had to learn.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

I don't understand how LE works - if a 12yo is missing or has been known to runaway to another state, isn't the harm that could be done to a 12yo hitchhiking the same kind of harm that could be done by a pedophile grabbing a child off the street? ? Seems I'm missing something important here. what's the difference? TIA moo

In Lindsey's case - they thought she ran away to see her father in the armed services. How do they think a 10yo would get there? just don't get it!

I don't get it either, eyes.

In Brooklyn, authorities also first claimed that 7-year-old Patrick Alford had "run away". A SEVEN-year-old. In New York. Okay, maybe for one night. But he's been gone over 2 months now. (Link to Patrick's case in my siggy.)

I think there comes a point in these cases where the local LE realizes they messed up saying it was a runaway. I think that "Oh $h!t moment here, and in Lindsey's case, was when the FBI got called in. The FBI doesn't look for runaways. Still hoping for a good resolution for Kayleah, but it's not looking good.

 

[danisisa]

I don't know if this has been discussed but, one of her friends on myspace RS has girlfriend in California according to his and his girlfriends myspace.

 

[RubyRed]

I don't know if this has been discussed but, one of her friends on myspace RS has girlfriend in California according to his and his girlfriends myspace.

That is interesting.

 

[danisisa]

That is interesting.

I emailed Greeley LE about it.

 

[eyes4crime]

I don't know if this has been discussed but, one of her friends on myspace RS has girlfriend in California according to his and his girlfriends myspace.

Just in case LE didn't uncover that info - you might consider sending them an e-mail. I'm always concerned about the pedophile who will lure the child by providing a ride to, what a child would consider, a safe haven. You know, the one who will pay for the trip, and/or make arrangements for a ride and say, I have horses, and never get angry, and I will give you an allowance etc etc...

ETA: OOps - I just read that you notified LE - good for you!

 

[danisisa]

BTW, it is spring break in most places right now.