Police Incompetence Leads to Ft. Wayne, IN's Amber Alert Failure and Tragedy

Various | Burr5

[Burr5]

Unfortunately there is another story of a young girl being abducted and later murdered.

It is a story that didn't make the national news, for some reason, so I thought you should hear it, as it demonstrates what can go wrong when the authorities fail to use all the weapons in their arsenal against the monsters that are committing these crimes.

Monday night (August 19) three young men entered an Arby's here in Fort Wayne, and began harrassing 17 year old Cheri Hartman, a cute kid with bright copper-colored hair. Witnesses say she eventually responded with a "racial slur" against one of the rowdies. All three of the punks were 21 years old-adults in the legal world, if not in the establishment media paradigm.

When Cheri arrived home Monday night she was assaulted by the three, beaten, and shoved into a blue 1992 Chevy with a luggage rack on top.

Eyewitnesses saw everything, and called the F.W.P.D., who, on arriving, found Cheri's car-keys and a pool of vomit on the pavement. It was 11:08 P.M.

"We wanted to make sure this was a true abduction," said Robin Thompson, Police spokeswoman. Curious point of view considering the eyewitnesses and physical evidence.

It was a point of view that would cause a slow-down in the expected "Amber-Alert" response that has been successful in other parts of the country. The Allen County Sherrif's Dept. wasn't informed until 5:00 A.M. The State Police were in the dark throughout the night.

In fact, the faxes to local media didn't start going out until 5:30 A.M., and WOWO, the 50,000 watt blowtorch news-talk station got the info even later.

Eyewitnesses to a brutal abduction. A description of the car. The car's plate number!

The police did not bother to alert the media until SIX HOURS after the abduction.

This morning (August 21) Cheri's body was found in a corn field just off Dupont Road. The coroner has listed a gun-shot to the mouth as the cause of death. Her body had been burned horribly after her death, and urinated upon.

God help her family.

I post this to elicit responses to two questions: 1). Why would a story about 16 and 17 year old abductees who survived receive national media attention, yet this story would not?

2). How much confidence do you have in your own local police dept. to use the media to help search for abductees?

[eastforker]

Rule #1:never use a racial slur when you are: A,a female B outnumbered 3 to 1 C have no way of protecting yourself.It is a sad thing this girl was tortured and murdered,and the fact that the police inaction may have delayed any action by others is deplorable.My point being,youngsters seem to think by talking loud and offensive will make the problem go away when insted it only intensifies the situation.Truth be known,I would almost bet money these three guys knew her and where she lived before any of this went down.

[LouD]

Rule #1:never use a racial slur when...

Actually, never use a racial slur, period. Even if you are merely defending yourself, you are one racial slur away from being charged with a hate crime...

[Burr5]

They DID know her before any of this went down.

I just hope nobody on this thread attempts to make the case that calling a punk a "nigger" (that's what we all guess happened) somehow EXPLAINS why this girl was murdered. There is no comparison at all.

[Poohbah]

I just hope nobody on this thread attempts to make the case that calling a punk a "nigger" (that's what we all guess happened) somehow EXPLAINS why this girl was murdered. There is no comparison at all.

No, it doesn't.

But it is a useful object lesson: don't shoot your mouth off unless you can shoot something else off afterwards.

[lelio]

The police did not bother to alert the media until SIX HOURS after the abduction.
Cut the police some slack here, the incident happened at 11PM and was reported to the media at 5AM. There's a lot of reasons why this didn't go out immediately: lack of manpower, who is going to notice something on TV at 3AM, etc. The police can't cover everything.

[freddy]

You idiots all act as if the Government has already "Pussy Whipped" you...!!!
PC is gonna KILL this country...It already killed this girl!!

[Poohbah]

You idiots all act as if the Government has already "Pussy Whipped" you...!!!

Huh? All I pointed out is that if you use fighting words, you just might get into a fight. Gosh, what a concept.

[freddy]

Poohbah: Meant to change the To: to ALL....
What a concept is right...Sorry...

[Poohbah]

OK, backing off the trigger to the flamethrower.

By my guess, an media alert at 11PM--at best--wouldn't have accomplished much. The perps were fairly smart as to their timing.

And this kid was pretty stupid. Then again, "young" and "stupid" go together like "Mom" and "apple pie."

[Patriot_carcass]

Eyewitnesses watched it all? What a bunch of cowards. It is this type of mentality that allows terror attacks to happen. A little intestinal fortitude to intervene would have saved that girls life.

[RnMomof7]

We live in a world where there is equal weight given to words and violence. No more "sticks and stones..hurt my feelings and I get to hurt your body ..that is fair!

These are "conservatives " posting . That should show you how the liberals PC folks have won the battle.

Soon the churchs will have to stop preaching the gospel as it offends gays and adulterers and kids will report their parents words ..scary huh? The thought police have won !Free speech is a former right

I just want to say I do not like racial slurs ..BUT they are not equal to murder nor do they derserve the death sentence

[usmcobra]

Your version of the story differ greatly from the version written in this article

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/3909671.htm

Why?????

[cherry]

can you put anymore blame here on the victim,,,,or will your diatribe be sufficient>

odds are 10 to 1 that the men used sexually explicit language with her but I suppose that doesn't count

[A_perfect_lady]

One can only hope she has a brother with a gun and a sense of family honor.

[Poohbah]

You don't think there's a hidden agenda here, do you?

[Burr5]

WOWO routinely calls the FWPD during the night to see if anything is up. They called FWPD twice that night. "Nope. Nothing much." was the reply.

Then the Public Info Officer, some woman named Bridgette Something comes on at 6:50, and has NO explanation for the delay. She really didn't even seem to care. Ya hadda be there.

Bridgette committed to get in touch at the same time THIS morning, after she had some answers. She never did.

[Burr5]

Follow the link my challenger has provided. You'll see that nothing significant that I posted is incorrect (5:08 or 5:30...maybe, it's still not clear). See also the SECOND story-link on that site about the local media's (far more pissed-off if you hear them live) "attitude".

[Burr5]

I'm not going to waste my time with engaging in a fight with usmcobra.

I'll just tell you I have no connection to any of these people. There's no "hidden agenda".

Who knows if Cheri Hartman would be alive if WOWO had been allowed to tell all the truckers and early-risers (I am on the road at 5:30 A.M., and I know the roads are full of cars- so get lost nay-sayers) that a particular car, with licence plate included, was hauling this girl away?

[Terriergal]

Unreal... this is SO tragic.