Aside from all the publicity, I think it is a small miracle that this child and the other boy was found alive. I can only begin to imagine how these parents are feeling about having them back in their lives.

chick

I don't understand WHY they were kidnapped? Other than being brainwashed, were they harmed physically? Does this guy have a criminal history? Why did he choose these two boys?

I find I get really obsessed with this type of thing. I was almost abducted as a child back in the 60's. We lived in the quiet suburbs.
I had a lemonade stand just outside my front door on the front lawn.(I cringe everytime I see kids with lemonade stands with no parent supervision, there usually never is) My Mom was in the kitchen which faced the back yard.
A guy drove up and bought a lemonade. I remember him being quite handsome and wearing a suit. He seemed so nice. He asked me for directions to a street was which was just at the end of my street. When I told him to just keep driving and he would find it he acted confused. He kept saying he didn't understand and could I get in the car and go with him and show him. I remember thinking about it but my Mom's words stuck in my head "never go anywhere with a stranger" My Mom had a controlling way about her and I hated getting in trouble as she nagged at me. I was more worried about her getting mad at me than I was about this man. He seemed so nice and I wasn't frightened by him at all. I didn't get in or she would have spanked me for sure. If I'd only known then that I wouldn't have returned home to get spanked if I got in that car. He kept insisting so I said I would ride on my bike in front of his car and he could follow me. He must have drove off, I can't remember anything past that. Years later this still haunts me and every time I hear that another child has been abducted it affects me for a long time. I watch the news and pray and pray that they will be found. It's exhausting and frustrating. I can't imagine the horror the parents of abducted children must go through and especially the children. Oh the poor children.
I get borderline obsessed and really have to watch myself, it affects me so much. I'm an overprotective mother because of it and my kids are always complaining that I am the only parent that is so strict.(which I know isn't true) So, I'm now obsessing about these two boys and praying that they are ok. It will be very hard on Shawn especially to deal with what has happened to him.
I will get over it eventually until the next time. I think we all need to be so much more aware these days as this is not going to stop especially with the internet predators. We need to use the internet to our advantage and keep an eye out for missing children. They need us.
Kate

Shawn was just on Oprah today. He talked about being homeschooled, watching video games and sleeping. Once he had an opportunity to write an email to his parents asking how long would you look for your son.

He looked very, very soulfully hurt and held his parents hands tight. So, so sad.

Ann

This topic scares the heck out of me. Lola and Hannelore, your stories are so sad. I'm so sorry you had to experience that. Lola, did you have to go to court for this?

We once lost our youngest son on the beach of all places. We immediately noticed he was gone and all went in different directions searching for him. He was of walking age, not even two years-old. A woman saw us looking and said she saw him follow another lady down the beach that she assumed he thought was his mother. We headed in that direction and sure enough he was right there. This was only moments, but like Lola and Hannelore, those horrible, frightful feelings close in one me even as I type. I can't imagine living without a child due to abduction, day in and day out. God, spare us.

I haven't followed this too closely. Shawn is the older child, right? Can you imagine being his parents for all those years and then the sheer joy of learning he was alive and then getting to embrace him? I pray he can resume a somewhat normal kife and that he isn't too scarred by everything he was fed mentally by his abducter.

Oh, and the media is maddening.

This story haunts me. I think he was getting ready to kill the oldest boy too. I'm sure he molested at least the oldest one. There has to be a special hell for this man who did this.

My son called me last night and apparently they have been following this story where he works and talking about it because he said, "mom, thank you for being so strict and never allowing us to do the stupid kid things we tried to do. God only knows what you may have saved us from." He made me cry, happy tears. I can't even imagine one of my sons having been abducted or worse....

Yes Dotsie that dam media is unrelenting and trying for sensation. Leave these poor children alone to mend themselves.

Hi,Dotsie: Unfortunately, at that time, European policing works with caution. Sometimes, in cases of inchoate offences, they would assess the offender right there and then along with all the surrounding circumstances. It often was a personal judgment call of the police more than the victim. In our case, the gypsy feigned madness and so, was let off.

Much like Chatty, I can only recall how strict I have been with my children's supervision after that event. Now that my daughter has her own children to look after, she understands the restrictions I imposed on them when they were little. My older grandchildren like their independence and would not hold hands when we go out. The 6-year old thinks it's childish and the 2-year old is in her typical 2-year old angsty phase and would not wear her harness. So, when they refuse to be held, they get packed into the car and the day is called off. Then, they listen next time. I get very stressed when my grandson goes on school journeys and I make the 350-mile trip to where they live so I can volunteer as escort for his class each time.

Children abduction is still very rife and children get plucked even from their own backgardens. As a result and because of our experience, we have CCTV in our homes and the children are never left alone. When we go to the beach or to crowded events, we make them wear their whistles around their neck and have taught them to remember emergency phone numbers and most importantly, never to talk to strangers unless we are with them. Sadly, this is what it has boiled down to.

And, it is to my dismay that up until now, the UK does not have the practice of putting photos of missing children on milk cartons as we have in the States.