Todays Oprah Show.. do you think it's too soon?

[mtemm]

I watched Oprah and saw both sets of parents, the officers who spotted the vehicle in the parking lot of the apartment building, but nothing about the teenage boy who got the full description of the truck that caused both boys to be found.

Does anyone know why they didn't have that truck description boy on, too? I hope he gets some sort of reward.

they showed an interview with mitchell (that's the boys name, right?) and they applauded him, but no, he wasn't on the show. I hope he gets a huge reward, too. without him, there is no doubt in my mind that ben, and shawn, would still be missing. he's a true hero.

 

[ZachnElli]

I think Oprah did a great job. I'm sure the media is hounding these families and I hope this can get them off their back's a little. Shawn is an amazing kid! They did show Mitchell, the boy who saw the white truck. He just wasn't in Oprah's studio. The police officers and Oprah both praised him (Mitchell).

 

[SplshMtn99]

I didn't see todays interview. I think I'm ok with Oprah doing an interview this early, because she's sentitive & wouldn't push & her show might not be about THEM specificially the entire time.

But if the interview was with someone like Nancy Grace....then NO WAY!!!!

 

[lovemygoofy]

I'm really glad after reading some of the responses that it was done well but still I just don't think I would do this to my child. I'm not trying by any means to insult the ones who watched but aren't we just adding to sensationalism by watching and encouraging with the ratings. I just kept thinking if this was my child, I'd get a warrant to keep all media off my lawn and keep my child out of the light as much as I could.

 

[DawnCt1]

they showed an interview with mitchell (that's the boys name, right?) and they applauded him, but no, he wasn't on the show. I hope he gets a huge reward, too. without him, there is no doubt in my mind that ben, and shawn, would still be missing. he's a true hero.

If I remember correctly, when they went to the appartment complex to arrest the "other person who wasn't home", wasn't it a neighbor in that complex that said to the police, "doesn't that truck look like the truck that might be involved im the kidnapping?" It seems like there was another hero in this story.

 

[mtemm]

I'm really glad after reading some of the responses that it was done well but still I just don't think I would do this to my child. I'm not trying by any means to insult the ones who watched but aren't we just adding to sensationalism by watching and encouraging with the ratings. I just kept thinking if this was my child, I'd get a warrant to keep all media off my lawn and keep my child out of the light as much as I could.

the parents of the younger child, ben, did keep him out of the spotlight. they had him stay in the greenroom because they did feel like the media had been more than enough already. shawn was interviewed, mostly in a pre-taped segment, and he stayed in the audience when they showed the live on-stage stuff (his parents and his aunt were on the stage). he seemed fine with the interview, almost happy to have his say on some stuff, and yet strong and clear that he would not talk about other stuff. if any question was uncomfortable to him, he said straight out and he wasn't pushed further on it (and these were questions that were not banned from being asked...oprah respected that certain subjects were not to be brought up).

 

[mtemm]

If I remember correctly, when they went to the appartment complex to arrest the "other person who wasn't home", wasn't it a neighbor in that complex that said to the police, "doesn't that truck look like the truck that might be involved im the kidnapping?" It seems like there was another hero in this story.

I hadn't heard that at all. when the officers were on oprah, they sounded like they were nudging each other about the truck, they didn't bring up anyone else. hmmm.

 

[ash&abby'smom]

I too thought Oprah did a very respectful interview. Whether or not it was to soon, I think is up to the parents. I applaud those parents for not pushing their boys into telling them details of what has happened to them and giving them the opportunity to talk about it when and if they want. That to me has to be so tough, because I as a parent would want to know. Oprah did say that she asked off camera why the boy never tried to call home and he said he was terrified.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I'm not trying by any means to insult the ones who watched but aren't we just adding to sensationalism by watching and encouraging with the ratings. I just kept thinking if this was my child, I'd get a warrant to keep all media off my lawn and keep my child out of the light as much as I could

I totally agree and I really can't speak as to whether Oprah did it tastefully or badly because I simply refuse to watch.

No big loss to Oprah as I don't usually watch her show anyway.

 

[mtemm]

I too thought Oprah did a very respectful interview. Whether or not it was to soon, I think is up to the parents. I applaud those parents for not pushing their boys into telling them details of what has happened to them and giving them the opportunity to talk about it when and if they want. That to me has to be so tough, because I as a parent would want to know. Oprah did say that she asked off camera why the boy never tried to call home and he said he was terrified.

I have no doubt that shawn was terrified. and what makes me sad is so many people are going to blame him, in some way, for not taking advantage of phones/internet that were at his disposal. the poor kid has been thru enough, just let him find peace.

 

[r3ngels]

If I remember correctly, when they went to the appartment complex to arrest the "other person who wasn't home", wasn't it a neighbor in that complex that said to the police, "doesn't that truck look like the truck that might be involved im the kidnapping?" It seems like there was another hero in this story.

There was a neighbor that saw the truck and stopped the police but the police had seen the truck already and they were trying to block the truck so it didn't move... the neighbor called or was about to call the police when he saw the police there on the other warrent.

In St Louis he has been praised and was on most local news channel for not letting this go and for getting involved.

 

[Sherri]

I think it was good they did the show. The aunt made a great point. People told him that he looked like the missing kid, he denied it. The aunt said they should have gone to the authoritys, if they had he would have been found sooner. Better to be wrong then to be right and not have done anything.
The kid was terrified of this monster, its quite clear that he is very happy to be home with his family. He was very brave and very strong and I pray he can recover and live a normal life from here on out.

 

[Beth76]

Yes Dawn, but still without the original description from the boy the neighbor wouldn't have known. Also, this guy passed that truck for a few days and thought about it. It wasn't until the police were conveniently nearby that he said anything. Obviously he gets credit for bringing it up, but I still don't think he deserves as much as the kid who gave the description.

 

[DawnCt1]

There was a neighbor that saw the truck and stopped the police but the police had seen the truck already and they were trying to block the truck so it didn't move... the neighbor called or was about to call the police when he saw the police there on the other warrent.

In St Louis he has been praised and was on most local news channel for not letting this go and for getting involved.

Good I am glad that he got credit. Its good to know that if the police did miss this that someone else was also on the ball.

 

[SplshMtn99]

I was watching something a few days ago where they were interviewing the pizza shop owner. HE said he called police & said his employee has a truck that matches the description but also told him he was 99% sure his employee wouldn't have had anything to do with a kidnapping.

Did anyone else see that? Did the police investigate this guys phoned in tip? Or has it been proven that the interview was a lie & he never called in such a tip?

 

[r3ngels]

I'm really glad after reading some of the responses that it was done well but still I just don't think I would do this to my child. I'm not trying by any means to insult the ones who watched but aren't we just adding to sensationalism by watching and encouraging with the ratings. I just kept thinking if this was my child, I'd get a warrant to keep all media off my lawn and keep my child out of the light as much as I could.

I completely disagree... his parents have been in the news locally and nationally for 4 1/2 years getting the word out to help their son come home and to help other children come home or better yet not get taken... to report anything that we see... It has NEVER been about sensationalism with them, this is their life now trying to get Shawn back and trying to help other parents. I think that being on Oprah was the best way of getting the word out with a tasteful, sensitive interveiw with someone who will respect the boundries of the questioning not only for their son but to not damage the case at all.

I for one am glad they were on and I watched and cried right along with the family. I have and will continue to pray for both of these boys and their families. If it makes us mad, sad or upset enough that this happened to these boys than maybe something will change, so that these monsters can't continue to get away with this.

 

[java]

I didn't watch. But I did hear the mom say that the reason they were talking about it was to give hope to other families. They say that when Elizabeth Smart was found it gave them hope. They wanted to give hope to the families out there with missing children. Is it too soon? I don't know I am not in their shoes.

 

[r3ngels]

I was watching something a few days ago where they were interviewing the pizza shop owner. HE said he called police & said his employee has a truck that matches the description but also told him he was 99% sure his employee wouldn't have had anything to do with a kidnapping.

Did anyone else see that? Did the police investigate this guys phoned in tip? Or has it been proven that the interview was a lie & he never called in such a tip?

He did call in the tip but he has known the "other" side of Devlin for 20 years (I think he said 20 years) and he honestly thought that he could never do this... he was completely shocked. But he called the tip because he couldn't ignore the description of the truck and that he called in sick the day of Ben's kidnapping. I really felt bad for the owner, he still looked in shock that a man he knew for all those years could be the kidnapper.

 

[SplshMtn99]

He did call in the tip but he has known the "other" side of Devlin for 20 years (I think he said 20 years) and he honestly thought that he could never do this... he was completely shocked. But he called the tip because he couldn't ignore the description of the truck and that he called in sick the day of Ben's kidnapping. I really felt bad for the owner, he still looked in shock that a man he knew for all those years could be the kidnapper.

yes, i got all that too from the interview. and yes, he was shocked. i guess i didn't do a good job of conveying that. thank you.

I'm wondering if the police investigated that tip at all...or are they just saying they happened to notice this truck while at the apt for something else?

 

[SplshMtn99]

I was also blown away to learn that over the last 4 years, the police had picked up Shawn & a friend THREE TIMES for being out after curfew & brought him "home" to the apt.

Soooooo close!!!! But they never recognized him.