Taffyles

I agree- teach them to do anything to break free ....and run!- even if the assailant has a gun- run, the chances of someone hitting a running target with a bullet are very slim. Although in this instance it would'nt have done Carlie much good, because of the location.
She shouldn't have been walking home in the first place- her stepfather was actually on his way to pick her up when it happened- she left her friends house and started walking before he arrived. Her stepfather missed her by 5 mins. Her big mistake was taking a shortcut- she walked through the back lot and was out of sight from the main road- Bee Ridge Road is a very busy road. Had she Kept to the road her Stepfather would have seen her, and I doubt very much that she would have been approached by Smith on the main road. He must have seen her walking alone and turn into the car wash- he nipped in the other side entrance and caught her round the back. She could have screamed her head off back there- no-one would have seen or heard anything.

My daughter works with Carlie's stepdad, Steve, and she's been very involved all week. Carlie was closer to her Stepdad than her real father who she never saw much of at all- he's been beside himself, obviously. Gem was at the memorial last night- the private one for family and friends (not the candlelit one televised- the media wasn't allowed in to this one). The family are drawing a lot of strength from the community and getting a lot of help. They actually knew the day before it was released to the media that Carlie was dead- I think from forensic evidence found in the car- Gem told me Thursday afternoon - I don't know why the media wasn't informed till the next day.

Everyone is heartbroken here, there are memorials all over town and people turning out in the hundreds. I think the funeral will be next Thursday.

Taffyles

Yep- he's going to be let out into the mainstream a few times I've no doubt. There were absolutely no deals done with him to get him to talk and hopefully they'll knock the appeals process on this one and get rid of the scum quicker.

There were men outside the family's house , doing their best to get arrested on Wednesday- hoping to get thrown in a holding cell with him. The police told them straight in the end that he is in isolation and they would not get anywhere near him if they persisted in their efforts to get thrown in jail for the night.

His first hearing is tomorrow but its been announced that he's not attending- I don't think they dare.

kazzuk

It breaks my heart. We have a daughter the same age as Carlie. We are all praying for her family. God Bless them all.

effi

I think the thing to do with people like this, if the authorities can prove their guilt without a shadow of a doubt, is to just take them out back and put a bullet in their brains. Why should society pay to keep someone like this in prison for the next 20 or so years. Free bed and board, free healthcare, free dental care, free counselling and on and on. He is of no use to anyone, just do it now and get rid of him.

kazzuk

I agree

irb

When children are abducted, it is often by people they THINK they know. The 'Hey I'm a friend of your mom or I work with your dad' person. The school my sisters kids went to often played a game where adults were either friends of the family or co-workers or were volunteer strangers, often parents of kids in another class. The kids had to judge whether to stay and kick and scream or go with the adult. Her kids can kick and scream with the best but she said it was frightening to see her kids trust and walk off with a stranger when they said they were a friend of their mom, they worked with her. Her kids were better equiped to understand the meaning of 'a stranger' Even if they are a friend of Mom or Dad, if they are a stranger to you don't go with them no matter what they say.