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Kidnapper told boy his parents did not want him
thisislondon.co.uk ^ | 1/15/07

Posted on 01/15/2007 8:27:11 AM PST by Halls

Kidnap victim Shawn Hornbeck was "brainwashed" into staying with his abductor after being told his parents no longer wanted him.

His kidnapper also threatened to shoot the 15-year-old after snatching him off the street.

Friends of the teenager have revealed Michael Devlin, 41, had at least three guns in the apartment where Shawn was held captive.

Tony Douglas, 15, who was Shawn's best friend, said: "We both knew there were guns in the house. Michael told us that he had the guns and were for his protection."

Shawn's stepfather Craig Akers, 45, has revealed his son's life was threatened by Devlin while he lived with him in a ground floor flat in Kirkwood, a suburb of St Louis, Missouri.

(Excerpt) Read more at thisislondon.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: devlin; hornbeck; missouri
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To: Halls

I am with you on that. I feel really bad for your boyfriend's brother. That is a shame. Such a tragedy in two cases (losing mother and molested). I think Shaun will need extensive therapy and help. I don't know if that will be enough though. Prayers will help but again it will have to be extensive. The little boy if he was molested even one time could be in the same situation. That guy needs to be executed IMHO. He is sick and probably distroyed two young boys in the process.


61 posted on 01/15/2007 9:08:29 AM PST by napscoordinator
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To: Halls

The devil made bail already?

What's got me is Devlin's family. Ok, fine, so they aren't close as some families but come on you can't tell me they were clueless. The pizza place owner said he'd hang out with his brother Jamie and he papered his mom's kitchen or something. Come on, it's hard to keep a secret when everyone is living in the same town. So, your sibling shows up with this kid and no one in the family questions him? And it's been reported that Shawn would call and come into the pizza place but the owner who'd known Devlin for 20+ years didn't wonder. Fine, Devlin isn't the social magnet but I'm sure he has some long time friends. I can understand that neighbors come and go and can't be bothered with who's living next door, and pizza employees have changed during the years, but surely someone during those 4 1/2 years had to have had questions. Couriouser and couriouser.


62 posted on 01/15/2007 9:08:46 AM PST by mtbopfuyn (I think the border is kind of an artificial barrier - San Antonio councilwoman Patti Radle)
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To: Verloona Ti

Good memory. I saw that years ago. Who knows what tricks he used on Shawn.


63 posted on 01/15/2007 9:09:02 AM PST by Paved Paradise
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To: bluebunny

Examples of teenagers and adults who can be convinced to do something that a person in their "right" mind would never do.

People are complaining that this child could not escape his situation and no matter how bad the living arrangements, he should have tried to escape.

And yet, adults will strap bombs onto their body and go to their death.

Adults join religious cults all of the time. Heaven's Gate cult comes to mind.

So, it is not so far fetched to understand why a child cannot escape his/her situation.


64 posted on 01/15/2007 9:09:08 AM PST by ican'tbelieveit (Join FreeRepublic's Folding@Home team (Team# 36120), KW:Folding)
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To: mtbopfuyn

I really do wonder about Devlin's family. Somebody had to know something.


65 posted on 01/15/2007 9:09:45 AM PST by bonfire
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To: MizSterious; Halls
Who said he wanted to be with this freak? That's just insanity

No doubt the same people who insisted that Elizabeth Smart went and stayed willingly with her sicko abductor.

66 posted on 01/15/2007 9:10:29 AM PST by GovernmentShrinker
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To: OldFriend

I will never say what I could or would do if I were in a situation involving torture, sleep deprivation, and some of the tools used by the military or even cults. What I do know is I am firmly grounded in my faith and have been for years and that I am mentally a strong person and I am very, very strong-willed (aren't all Irish people? - he he - Irish people will get it).


67 posted on 01/15/2007 9:10:34 AM PST by Paved Paradise
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To: sine_nomine
I have no doubt that your special toddler would have been quite able to protect himself from a 300 lb. predator.

Please get in the real world! Your life or the life of your children may depend upon it.

68 posted on 01/15/2007 9:10:48 AM PST by OldFriend (THE PRESS IS AN EVIL FOR WHICH THERE IS NO REMEDY)
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To: napscoordinator

It's true that they say the abused will become abusers, but I hope with counseling, this one will beat the odds. We already saw one miracle--he was still alive--may God grand another.


69 posted on 01/15/2007 9:12:02 AM PST by MizSterious (Anonymous sources often means "the voices in my head told me.")
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To: Verloona Ti

"I fear the exact same thing will happen to Hornbeck."

I don't think you have to worry about that. Richwoods is a very tightknit community that has been praying for Shawn's recovery and has been very supportive of the Akers family. The whole area is overjoyed that he was found.

See http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/369FFAA83566A502862572630016ADBE?OpenDocument


70 posted on 01/15/2007 9:12:16 AM PST by rwa265
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To: DvdMom
Correct.

And just the size difference -- Shawn at age 11, weight around 90 pounds could easily be intimidated and scared of a 300 pound, 6 foot tall, overpowering man.

Plus the threats of harm, etc.

===

I just hope both boys get some good counseling, starting immediately. They will need it now and later in life.

This is a traumatic experience for both and it will have long-reaching impact on their lives.
71 posted on 01/15/2007 9:13:02 AM PST by TomGuy
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To: proudofthesouth
I'm no expert but I think its very likely that once the second kid was "broken in" that Shawn would have been killed by Devlin.

That was my thinking from day one.

72 posted on 01/15/2007 9:13:10 AM PST by mtbopfuyn (I think the border is kind of an artificial barrier - San Antonio councilwoman Patti Radle)
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To: mtbopfuyn

he better have not made bail! This man cannot ever get our of prison!


73 posted on 01/15/2007 9:13:20 AM PST by Halls (My parents raised me RIGHT!)
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To: pbear8
I asked a friend who has raised a son, how she dealt with the threat of her child being abducted.

Her answer......karate lessons from age seven.

74 posted on 01/15/2007 9:13:25 AM PST by Churchillspirit (We are all foot soldiers in this War On Terror.)
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To: Beagle8U

The movie came out in 1989
but we have 2 other boys missing that were taken the same way as Shawn was (out riding their bikes) and both are from rural areas just outside St. Louis - within an hours drive. They have not been found yet and they are looking to see if Devlin may be connected to those 2 cases.

Shawn was grabbed in 2002 - the other 2 were grabbed after the movie came out but before 2002. One of them would be 26 now and I believe both were under 12 when they were grabbed.

We also have 1 female that was grabbed in 1989 (Gina Dawn Brooks) just south of were Shawn and Ben were grabbed.


75 posted on 01/15/2007 9:13:42 AM PST by stlnative
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To: mtbopfuyn

Court is closed today, due to holiday. Can you show where it says he is out on bail?


76 posted on 01/15/2007 9:14:19 AM PST by OldFriend (THE PRESS IS AN EVIL FOR WHICH THERE IS NO REMEDY)
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To: Halls

You said it! Sick people is right. They are disgusting, no, they are beyond disgusting!


77 posted on 01/15/2007 9:14:53 AM PST by pepperdog
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To: Paved Paradise

I think you need to read up on psychological profiles of kidnap victims (child and adult). In particular, pay attention to something called the "Stockholm Syndrome"--which is a very real syndrome. Children (and this boy was 11, NOT a teenager when he was taken) are particularly malleable.


78 posted on 01/15/2007 9:15:09 AM PST by MizSterious (Anonymous sources often means "the voices in my head told me.")
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To: OldFriend

he isn't out, the news media would have made a huge stink out of it and there is nothing. He still hasn't bee arraigned yet and likely won't be till tomorrow or Wed.


79 posted on 01/15/2007 9:15:15 AM PST by Halls (My parents raised me RIGHT!)
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To: Churchillspirit

Excellent idea Grasshopper.


80 posted on 01/15/2007 9:15:27 AM PST by pbear8 (Jack's back - everybody duck!!)
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