So what do you think about the missing 8 month old baby?

[wdwmom0f3]

What do you really think happened? I watch Nancy Grace everynight and this story just makes me sick.

 

[S. C.]

This is the first I heard about it . I googled it and skimmed over the story.

 

[PaulaSB12]

An Arizona couple who wanted to adopt a woman's baby know more than they're saying about the 8-month-old boy's disappearance, police say.

Gabriel Johnson hasn't been seen since December 26, police said, and his mother was arrested last week in Miami Beach, Florida, after not reporting for a December 28 child custody hearing in Arizona.

"We have some good indications at this point with our investigation that Tammi and Jack Smith do know more information than they have provided to us that could possibly lead us to Gabriel," Sgt. Steve Carbajal, spokesman for the Tempe (Arizona) Police Department, told HLN's Nancy Grace on Thursday.

The Smiths say they met Elizabeth Johnson, 23, seven months ago during a long layover at an airport, and later the three discussed a plan to adopt Johnson's child, Gabriel.

But the boy's father, Logan McQueary, has legal custody and has said Elizabeth Johnson urged him to sign papers giving the Smiths custody of the boy, but he refused.

"She didn't want Logan to have the baby, and we couldn't adopt the baby because Logan wouldn't sign the papers," Tammi Smith said on "Nancy Grace."

"So her idea was to just keep running forever. And we told her, 'You can't run forever. They're going to find you.' "

Elizabeth Johnson has refused to say where the boy is, according to police, and remains in a Florida jail on suspicion of custodial interference.

Carbajal's department has indications that Gabriel is alive, he said, adding that the Smiths have spoken with investigators. But he declined to say why police believe that the couple has more information.

The Smiths say they do not know where Gabriel is.

Detectives have not been able to confirm that Johnson gave the child to an unidentified couple in San Antonio, Texas, as she has claimed.

"On one hand, we hear that that went down and the child was given away to an unknown couple at a park," Carbajal said.

"We balance that with statements made by Elizabeth that she killed Gabriel. Which story is true? Our investigators are trying to get to the bottom of that right now."

New leads and developments in the case were coming in by the minute, he said. The FBI found Johnson's car in San Antonio and have examined it for any clues that could lead them to the boy, but his whereabouts remain unknown.

Anyone with more information is asked to call the Tempe Police Department at 480-350-8311 or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.


It looks like the people who want to adopt the baby have got him hidden somewhere. Just because the mother doesn't want her child doesn't mean the father (who has custody) should be forced to hand the boy over. I see a woman trying to steal a son away from his father out of hatred and a desperate couple willing to do anything to become parents, unfortunatly if (and I hope this happens) the father gets his son back this couple will never be allowed to adopt another child this will stop them even trying if they are not in prison.

 

[S. C.]

I feel horrible for the Dad.

 

[happygirl]

I dunno what to think, I hope the foster parents didn't have anything to do with it. It seems with the mom past with violence. IT doesn't look good for that sweet little angel

 

[OceanAnnie]

I don't know what to think either. It's all messed up. I think the bio mother is in deep no matter how you look at it. But it is hard to connect the dots with the additional people involved. The bio mom had sent an e-mail or something to the bio dad saying the son was dead at one point. Then she recanted and said she made a mistake (?) in sending the e-mail and we all make mistakes. I saw that on a morning news show.

Strange and sad. That poor little baby.

 

[LuvOrlando]

WOW, it seems she is going to some extraordinary lengths to keep the baby from the father. She would rather give him to strangers and go to jail for murder (her admission) than let him get his hands on the kid. If she doesn't want the baby and doesn't care than why try to find couples to take him, why not just unload on the father? None of it adds up. It does make me wonder what the bio father's story is...

 

[kimmar067]

...that mother is one spoiled, self-centered woman....

 

[jamimb]

...that mother is one spoiled, self-centered woman....

Maybe she's not, maybe she's doing what she thinks is best for her son. Ort maybe she's a lunatic

 

[wdwmom0f3]

My sister told me that she heard that the mom had been on medication for PPD, and that she stopped taking it.

I honestly think that the Smith's know more than what they are saying because on Nancy Grace last night, it showed where she had posted something on Facebook or twitter about the mom getting help from an "undergroud" group. This is a group who helps protect victims, right? I hope that's where the baby is because if he's not, she must have done something horrible to him.

I just don't understand why there are so many cases like this now. It's hard to believe that a parent could hurt their own child, or anyone for that matter.

 

[Bluestars]

Is there any information on the biological father? It seems like the mother is going to such extremes to keep the father from getting the baby. I wonder if the father has a history of violence or the mother is just selfish like Sean Goldman's mother.

 

[freckles and boo]

I hope this ends well for the child, but whatever happened I am sure Nancy Grace is just salivating over the story. Dead and missing babies are her bread and butter.

 

[tinatark]

I hope the baby is okay.

Why does there have to be a "story" with the dad? A judge obviously made a decision that his home was the best for the baby - and the mom's been trying to give the baby away since he was just a month old - maybe she is just a bad mom who would rather someone else have the baby than his dad.

Not all women who have babies have motherly instincts, many of them view a baby as a bump in their lives of partying, selfishness, and excess. Susan Smith, Casey Anthony, Diane Downs all come to mind.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I'll admit I haven't read/watched much about this story, but what I'm curious about is how the couple ended up deciding to adopt this baby. They met the mom at an airport during a layover and then decide to adopt her baby? How did that conversation go? It almost makes me wonder if there is some kind of substantial amount of money changing hands and that is the reason she does not want the child with his father.

 

[WhateverLolaWants]

I'm hoping either she did turn him into an underground protection organization (like how battered women escape) and the group is trying to figure out how to come out without bringing down the organization. Or similarly, a couple did adopt the baby and are afraid of the legal implications.

Also, I'm not too sure what to make of the entire situation regarding the parents of the child. I know she didn't have custody, but who knows if the father was unfit as well. He definitely doesn't seem to broken up by it in the interview I've seen of him.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I'm hoping either she did turn him into an underground protection organization (like how battered women escape) and the group is trying to figure out how to come out without bringing down the organization. Or similarly, a couple did adopt the baby and are afraid of the legal implications.

Also, I'm not too sure what to make of the entire situation regarding the parents of the child. I know she didn't have custody, but who knows if the father was unfit as well. He definitely doesn't seem to broken up by it in the interview I've seen of him.

I really doubt the father was unfit as he was awarded custody of the child, or do you think they just hand them over to anyone? This is a mother who doesn't want a child and is determined that the father cant have him either.
But the boy's father, Logan McQueary, has legal custody and has said Elizabeth Johnson urged him to sign papers giving the Smiths custody of the boy, but he refused.

"She didn't want Logan to have the baby, and we couldn't adopt the baby because Logan wouldn't sign the papers," Tammi Smith said on "Nancy Grace."

"So her idea was to just keep running forever. And we told her, 'You can't run forever. They're going to find you.' "
They need to hall the Smiths's backsides into jail I bet they know exactly where that boy is and are wanting to keep him. If that is the case they will never be allowed to adopt again. What I think is sad is just because a selfish woman doesn't want her child's father to have the boy there must be something wrong with him. Yes some fathers are bad but mothers can be evil as well.

8-month-old missing, mom arrested; cops say she’s not talking
23-year-old mother Elizabeth Johnson left her Tempe, Arizona home with her 8-month-old son Gabriel Johnson on December 18, headed for San Antonio, Texas, according to local reports. While in Texas, Gabriel was believed to have been seen with his mother at a couple different hotels and allegedly at a six flags amusement park on December 26.
Gabriel Johnson
Gabriel Johnson

That was the last time anyone saw Gabriel Johnson. The following day, Johnson allegedly sends a text message and leaves a voicemail for Gabriel’s father and ex-boyfriend, Logan McQueary, telling him she killed little Gabriel. According to court documents, Johnson told McQueary that Gabriel was in a dumpster in a baby bag, describing the baby as blue colored and dead. Johnson then told McQueary she was planning to leave the country, and would tell McQueary where Gabriel’s body was when she had left. Johnson was arrested 3 days later in Miami Beach, Florida, but there was no sign of Gabriel.

A warrant was issued for Johnson’s arrest 2 days earlier after Johnson failed to show up to a custody hearing for her son. At the hearing, Johnson’s custody rights were revoked and full custody was given to Logan McQueary.

Is Gabriel Alive?
Despite the text and voice messages from Johnson claiming the baby was dead, police say there are indicators Gabriel may still be alive, including evidence that Johnson may have tried to give the baby up for adoption after the disappearance.

An Arizona couple contacted McQueary after the disappearance, asking McQueary to sign adoption papers for Gabriel. The couple, Tammi and Jack Smith, claim immediately after Johnson sent McQueary the text and voice messages saying she killed the baby, Johnson sent the Smiths a text message saying she only did that to get back at McQueary and that the baby was fine.

The Smiths are confident Gabriel is still alive, saying they were in contact with Johnson up until her arrest and could hear Gabriel through the phone in the background. The Smiths say they did not get McQueary involved in the adoption procedures earlier because Johnson told them he was abusive. However, there has been no documented history of abuse by McQueary. McQueary says after Gabriel disappeared, the Smiths tried to convince him into giving up Gabriel.

The Smiths say they were only passing along messages they were getting from Johnson and fully admit what Johnson did was wrong and they were only acting in what they thought was the best interest of the child based on what Johnson told them. The Smiths say they are cooperating fully with investigators and no longer believe the adoption is possible. Police say investigators currently do not plan to charge the couple.
History of Violence?
The father, Logan McQueary, says Johnson had threatened to harm Gabriel in the past. During one incident, McQueary claims Johnson hid Gabriel, but told police McQueary had taken him. The baby was found hours later at the home of one of Johnson’s friends after police conducted a search for him.

McQueary had filed an order of protection against Johnson last summer because he said he was afraid Johnson would hurt him and Gabriel. That order was later dismissed after McQueary tried to work things out with Johnson. McQueary claims Child Protective Services has an open case against Johnson, allegedly investigating her for neglect of Gabriel.

Johnson was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage last year after an incident in September where McQueary claims Johnson tore a part of a baby crib, took a knife and cut up baby clothes, and cause over $4,000 worth of damage.

The Break-up
Johnson had broken up with McQueary on December 8…3 days later McQueary filed a request for custody of the child. McQueary says he and Johnson lived together for 2 years but broke up December 8. Johnson then called McQueary the next day December 9, telling McQueary to sign over his parental rights to a couple who wanted to adopt Gabriel.

McQueary refused to sign over his rights, and when Johnson left with Gabriel, she allegedly told McQueary he was never going to see his son again

So there was a history of violence in this relationship FROM THE MOTHER NOT THE FATHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kimmar067]

Maybe she's not, maybe she's doing what she thinks is best for her son. Ort maybe she's a lunatic

....I'm not sure, but I thought I heard on the news tha either her OWN FATHER or own grandfather said that she was, in essence, a NUTJOB....[...of course, he didn't use THOSE WORDS exactly...]

 

[sl_underwood]

I dont know much about the story but I do wonder about the father as well. Why would the birth mom go to such lengths to keep her child away from him? As for those who said he must be a decent guy because the courts gave him custody, I am a foster parent and let me tell you that isnt even the case half of the time. My son (who I adopted at 5) was given to drug addict the first time he came into care because said addict was his father, and the next time he came into care, given to a pedophile just because he happened to be his grandfather. Both of these individuals had a history, had served prison sentences. The courts just dropped the ball or just didnt give a damn that day and my poor child was left to suffer. If we hadnt hired an atorney this last time he came into foster care, he might have never been adopted, who knows who would have gotten him next. I do hope this little boy is safe. IT breaks my heart to see children suffer because of their parents or our systems stupidity.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I dont know much about the story but I do wonder about the father as well. Why would the birth mom go to such lengths to keep her child away from him? As for those who said he must be a decent guy because the courts gave him custody, I am a foster parent and let me tell you that isnt even the case half of the time. My son (who I adopted at 5) was given to drug addict the first time he came into care because said addict was his father, and the next time he came into care, given to a pedophile just because he happened to be his grandfather. Both of these individuals had a history, had served prison sentences. The courts just dropped the ball or just didnt give a damn that day and my poor child was left to suffer. If we hadnt hired an atorney this last time he came into foster care, he might have never been adopted, who knows who would have gotten him next. I do hope this little boy is safe. IT breaks my heart to see children suffer because of their parents or our systems stupidity.

I am reposting this bit because I think it says a lot of her mental state

The couple, Tammi and Jack Smith, claim immediately after Johnson sent McQueary the text and voice messages saying she killed the baby, Johnson sent the Smiths a text message saying she only did that to get back at McQueary and that the baby was fine. She told the couple that she had told the child's father he was dead to get back at him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mickey527]

Unfortunately I think the baby is dead. If any person had "adopted" the baby they would come forward with some kind of information in order to let the police know that the baby is safe. I don't think the family who said they would adopt the baby would be able to get away with hiding him with all the news scrutiny.
and as to the mother not wanting the father to have custody... My son married a girl who after she had my grandson was diagnopsed bipolar. She refuses to take meds and has outbreaks where she cannot care for my grandson. My son has full custody right now and gets it every time she has an outbreak but as soon as she is deemed well enough she goes back to court and gets partial custody back. She would do whatever it takes to get custody away from my son who is a wonderful parent just because she feels he is "out to get her" when she is having problems and he gets full custody each time. This has gone on for 3 years now and will be a constant in the child's life.
I wonder if the mother has mental problems also and just wants revenge or whatever against the babies father.