Jan

13

I don't even know how to tell this story … so I'll just give it my best shot. What happens is incredible … but it has a twist that is unbelievable! 

A young boy (Ben Ownby) was abducted five days in a small town just outside of St. Louis, called Beaufort (pronounced BU-fert). A young neighbor boy, Mitchell Holts, who got off the school bus with Ben (and went a different way), noticed a white Nissan pickup with a camper shell with two black handles, NISSAN written on the back bumper, and slightly rusty fenders. 

Mitchell says he doesn't know why he paid attention to the pick up truck, but something told him that he should. Later when it was discovered that Ben was missing, Mitchell relayed his story. He took a voluntary lie detector test to confirm the story and his lack of involvement. 

The police released pictures of what the truck would look like to the news media, including pictures of Ben. 

Five days later, in a suburb of St. Louis (Kirkwood), another man was bothered by the fact the he saw a white Nissan pick up in his apartment complex. He said he never saw it move, but after a few days, he decided to call the police. Just then, the police came up to the apartment complex, and this man went out to see them. He asked them if they were there for the white Nissan. They looked puzzled. They said, "No, we're here to serve a warrant on someone" (who was totally unrelated to the case). 

The gentleman told them about seeing the white Nissan and showed it to them. The police were stunned. They blocked the truck and called for back up. 

What happens over the next several hours is still hazy from the reports, so I'll skip that. Let’s just say that the police got into the apartment and they found the 11 year old Ben Ownby alive! 

But that's only half the story. 

Four and a half years ago, there was another 11 year old boy who was abducted. His name was Shawn Hornbeck. It was an open case. They never solved it. 

When the police stormed the apartment and rescued little Ben, there was another boy there too. 

When the police had the suspect (Michael Devlin, 41 … registered sex offender who had not registered in the state of Missouri) in custody, they asked the teenager what his name was. He said … Shawn Hornbeck! 

Shawn had been held captive for four and a half years! 

Both of these boys were abducted just southwest of St. Louis. Apparently, when the news broke, the Wal Mart in the area where both of these boys were from announced over the loud speaker that they had been found. The store erupted with cheers. People were hugging and crying with joy! 

As I drove down the road this evening to go to the gym, I turned on my radio to KSHE 95 (the world famous Rock Station). The DJ was gushing with joy. I figured he was all excited about something stupid like a big rock concert coming to town (DJ's get stupid excited about that kind of thing sometimes). Then he announced what happened. I felt a sense of joy and excitement come over me. 

I believe that this rescue is really not the end of this ordeal for these boys and their families. The horror of a five day abduction for Ben Ownby will likely scar him for life. But a four and a half year abduction for Shawn Hornbeck … my heart aches for this boy and what's ahead of him. 

I felt connected to this for several reasons. The small suburb of St. Louis, Kirkwood, where they found this animal, was right next to where I grew up. He worked as a manager at a local pizza parlor franchise in Kirkwood (Imo's Pizza … great pizza by the way). I worked at the Imo's franchise in Maplewood, right down the road. These abductions took place out in Washington and Franklin Counties … where I used to hang out with friends as a teenager. 

The families that played a role in the rescue, from the boy that "just felt there was something wrong with that truck" to the guy at the apartment complex who "just had to check on that white Nissan," were all very familiar to me. No, I've never met any of them, but I know their kind. I've written posts about them before (see my post about my son, Hunter, cutting his leg and how these kinds of people jumped to the rescue to help). 

I've been known to ridicule these kinds of people from time to time. But in the end, most of them are salt of the earth, fiercely loyal, kind, courageous, honest and will ultimately do the right thing. 

As a parent, I can't even imagine any greater pain than what these families went through. I said a silent prayer of joy. 

I almost feel a bit guilty that my analytical mind was fast at work thinking of lessons to be learned from this ordeal, as I pounded away my hour on the elliptical trainer. But nonetheless, I can't help but think of some. 

That young man, Mitchell Holts, reminded me of how important it is to pay attention to what is going on around you. His "mindfulness" saved the lives of both of these boys. There was a book I read several years ago called The Gift of Fear. The premise of this book is that our sub-conscience is able to assimilate clues around us so that we know when something is right or wrong, sometimes called a gut feeling or a "hunch." This is a good book and worth a read. 

Paying attention to the little things, learning to heed that "inner voice" is a skill that can be infinitely helpful to us all. 

Another thing that jumped out at me was that we should take advantage of opportunities when they are presented to us. That gentleman in the apartment complex who saw the white Nissan … he said he never saw it move, so he didn't know if he should say anything. But when he saw the police in the parking lot, rather than assuming that they were there for the Nissan, he went out and told them about it. Good thing, because they were there for a completely unrelated purpose and would have probably never seen the Nissan. Sometimes you just have to have the courage to act. 

As for Michael Devlin … there is a special place in hell reserved for animals like him. In the meantime, I look forward to knowing he's going to prison. I hope they put him with the general population … a friend of mine, who is a psychologist in a Missouri prison, says that "he will discover what hell on earth is, out in the general population. There is no greater punishment we Americans give to a man like this." Even criminals despise his kind … and they will extract their pound of flesh. 

On a lighter note: 

In our church, we have a thing we do called Family Home Evening. We gather once a week as a family, take care of family business, read scriptures, say family prayers, play games, put on skits, sing songs and teach lessons. This week we will revisit a lesson we teach at least once a year. We'll teach our kids how to handle strangers, how to protect themselves, and how, if they are abducted, to handle themselves. 

In the meantime, I will say a prayer of thanks for this miracle. And I will pray for another miracle to occur … that both of these boys and their families can find peace and happiness again … and find a sense of security. 

I don't want any miracles in my life … just the blessing of being able to raise my kids safely and have them healthy and secure.


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4 Comments so far

  1. Frank Thomas on January 14, 2007 5:51 pm

    Scott,

    I read your article in “Daily Speculations” and I was truly moved by it. So many times we here of an abduction and then a body is found. I must admit when Ownby’s obduction was announced on the news last week, I had to get down on my knees and pray for his safe return.

    I do this because God usually answers my prayers and I needed this one to be answered with a positive outcome. Apparantly, I was not the only one that prayed for Ownbys’ safe return. As a result of finding him, another lost child was rescued.

    We have an awesome God. He made sure Mitchell Holts made note of the white pick up truck with the camper on the back and then made sure that the man that observed the police around that pick up truck went out there to tell them about it, not knowing they were there for an unrelated matter.

    The way you brought this story was far better than any news media could. You capture the hearts of others while the news media looks for money.

    This fantastic rescue of two boys will hopefully wake up parents who have the false assumption that “this could never happen to my child.” They better think again. There are many more Michael Devlin’s still out there, somewhere, looking for our children. I have been in law enforcement for over 25 years as a Homicide Detective and have seen it all.

    Frank Thomas

  2. BELINDA CLARK on January 15, 2007 1:27 am

    MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE FAMILY FIRST OF ALL.
    IT INTERESTING THOUGH HOW THE MEDIA DID NOT FOCUS 24/7 (OR AT ALL) ON THIS CASE AS THEY HAVE MANY OTHER CASES IN THE PAST. TODAY WAS THE FIRST I HAD HEARD OF THIS HORRIBLE STORY.IT IS A SAD, SAD WORLD WE LIVE IN TO THINK THIS WAS NOT PUBLISIZED DUE TO THE FAMILY NOT BEING WELL OFF. THIS HAPPENS DAILY. THE ONLY TIME THE MEDIA COVERS A STORY SUCH AS IS THIS WHEN THE IS FAMILY IS “PICTURE PERFECT” TO SHOW ON TELEVISION. WE SHOULD BE ASHAMED.

  3. jackie on January 15, 2007 8:18 am

    I have children my self and live in a small community where everyone thinks nothing like this happens. I keep my kid;s very close to me, and as i watched this story unfold i was relived to hear not 1 but 2 children came out of this alive. It sickens me to sit back and watch these monster pray on children almost to the point i do want to vomit. these monster’s need more than prison punishment, they get off to easy with 3 meals a day and a shower once a day, they should also be in shakles doing hard community work out in hot open fields 14 hours aday in stead of laying back on there prison cots enjoying the attention they get.

    god bless the innocence

    from cananda

  4. Bob on January 15, 2007 8:28 am

    I can relate to many of the points you raise, in particular those related to acting on your impulses. Although, this may be qualified by having someone ask themselves… am I being objective. Remember Salem?

    Lastly, your comments near the end weren’t very Christian. Wish the beast healing… men like this are broken.

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