Guindalf

I'm really surprised that there's no thread for this extraordinary story!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22438417

Is it because it could happen anywhere including the UK? ...or because no-one can say anything for or against gun control?

The guy who rescued them is a hero and should at least get a lifetime of free Big Macs!!

Ray

I saw this last night ..

loved his bit ..

He added, "I knew something was wrong when a little, pretty white girl ran into a black man's arms. Something is wrong here. Dead giveaway

Trixie_b

There is another thread.... McDonalds Tweeted to Charles Ramsey that they would "be in touch".

Derrygal

I live in the Cleveland suburbs and have followed this story for the past decade. I really thought the girls were dead (murdered). I almost fell out of my chair last night when the breaking news came on my local news channel. It just goes to show - you can never give up hope. The families of two of the missing girls had vigils every year on the anniversary of their disappearances. Sadly, Amanda's mum died a few years ago - how horrible - to go to your grave not knowing what happened to your child.

There are some sick people out there - I just hope the girls (young women) now get the help that they need to get on with their lives - and the little 6 year old (more than likely Amanda's daughter). That little girl has probably never known life outside that house. How horrible. She will need a lot of help to adjust to a "normal" life.

It's very scary - do we really know our neighbors??????

scot47

I do not rember cases like this in Uk but have read about the Kampusch case in Austria and a similar one in the German Federal Republic. Weird stuff. Scary - like somethiong form the Grimm Brothesr !

Trixie_b

No.


A number of years ago, a woman moved to a council estate in west London around July time. She got to know her neighbours, and noticed that a family who was supposed to have 2 children, rarely came outside. in 6 weeks she'd seen the little girl only once. She called the reporting service, then managed by the NSPCC.

She made a total of 3 calls. various authorities (police, social services, NSPCC and health workers) made many errors. Heidi Koseda was dead of starvation by Christmas.

story here http://heidi-luise-koseda.gonetoosoon.org/

The reason this springs to mind in relation to this case is is that in 4-6 weeks the new neighbour got to know enough about the family to read warning signs, and had reported a problem. I know that I wouldn't have been so observant, and if I had, i'm not sure that I would have reported it then.

People lived with these girls held hostage for over 10 years.
There are reports that shouting was heard from the home over the years, but no one reported it it seems.

Derrygal

OMG - what a dreadful thing to have happened - that poor little child. I think too often we get caught up in our own lives and are not as observant as we should be and, more often than not, are scared to get involved. That poor little girl - eating the wallpaper - how on earth could anyone do that to a child? This world is full of evil people..............

Trixie_b

We have to look for the good.

After the death of Heidi, the UK formalized reporting practices, and implemented procedures to ensure that children were seen. It improved police access to homes where child welfare issues were suspected.

The death of this little girl triggered changes that have undoubtedly prevented many other deaths.

We have to look at how the neighbour didn't just spot the problem but reported it, not once, but 3 times.

I know that I'm more likely to report suspected abuse of a child after reading about the neighbour and her tenacity. I'm a better person because of her.

Uncle_Bob

Nothing good ever happens in a basement

coastieexpat

Really ! I just built a boat ......Oh , I see what you mean

Gingerert

I wondered if BE would have a thread on this story.

I have so many things to say about it, but I can't seem to find the words. The courage of those extraordinary women... I just. can't. even.

One of my colleagues didn't want Ariel Castro to have the benefit of a fair trial. She said he should just be thrown in jail and then executed. But I think those women deserve to see him in court, to face him if they want to, and to have the entire world judge him for what he did. I hope he rots away in some nasty prison for the rest of his life, and that those women get some peace at the end of all this.

What a thing. Just... what a thing.

Trixie_b

There's another thread also....

Gingerert

Oh. Oops.

RoadWarriorFromLP

Assuming that he's convicted, he'll make a fine girlfriend for one of his fellow inmates. Plus, he may very well end up having a target on his head, which will have made his conviction as good as a death sentence.

So your coworker should be delighted with the outcome; he may end up wishing that he had been executed. Such is the circle of life.

Pulaski

I can't help but wonder if this might not have happened if prostitution were legal and brought out from the shadows. I'm not saying that I condone it, but sometimes trying to enforce a blanket ban (i) is not effective, and (ii) has other unintended consequences ..... like prohibition, and the similar attempt to outlaw drugs, which were/ are both ineffective and serve mostly to fill up our prisons, enrich a criminal underclass, and dramatically increase the violence in society.