Our child was almost taken --

My wife and I have celebrated more than 40 years of marriage and the recent horrible story of the fate of Somer Thompson really hit home.  Why? 

One of our daughters might have been abducted.  She’s more than 40 years old now and has grandchildren of her own – our great grandchildren.  The outcome, in her case, was almost funny – it so easily might not have been.

Like Somer Thompson of Jacksonville (Orange Park), our daughter was coming home from school.  We never learned what actually happened (even she doesn’t really remember everything now) but piecing it together over the years we think this is what took place.

We had taught our children never to talk with strangers much less get into a car with someone they didn’t know – but, you know how that goes.  We have no idea if the people involved actually intended to abduct our child or if the whole thing was a mistake – they thought she was someone else.  We believe it was the latter.

They stopped, she got in the car but then realized she didn’t know them.  She let it be known she didn’t want to be in that car and they let her out about a block from where they picked her up.  She walked – actually, I think she ran – home and told us what had happened. 

Perhaps we should have, but we didn’t go to the police.  In those days, in our area, few children were ever harmed. It was understood that anyone doing so would probably not survive long enough to go to trial. 

If they DID make it to court and were sentenced, their life expectancy in prison could probably be measured in hours as someone who hurts a child ranks very low in the prison hierarchy. 

A murderer, especially of a law enforcement officer, generally ranks highest but someone who harms a child ranks lower than one who harms a woman except in extreme cases of self defense or defense of another, even lower than a “squealer.”  A worm is taller.

(No, I have no firsthand experience; and the Lord willing, I will keep it that way.  I’m taking that opinion from reading books by W.E.B. Griffin – the MEN IN BLUE series – and also from asking someone who does know.)

That’s why we think they simply made a mistake.  If the “almost” abductors had had evil intentions; they could have hurt or killed her right in the car, right then, but they didn’t.  We were very lucky that day.

Jacksonville and area TV and radio stations and the news media are keeping us up to date on the investigation.  They’re getting hundreds of tips through various means and many of them are being checked thoroughly. 

If YOU know or think you know something – or even have a suggestion – you should contact the authorities by calling Clay County Tip Line: 877-227-6911 or email cart@claysheriff.com or contact Crime Stoppers (http://www.fccrimestoppers.com/).  You can email them at rewards@fccrimestoppers.com. 

Their website says “this email link is not secure, if you want to remain anonymous and report a crime tip, click on the Web Tips link   1-866-845-TIPS    No Names....No Faces....No Hassles.” 

Several schools say they’re going to use this event as a “teaching point.”  That’s a good idea and, while I don’t generally subscribe to giving children nightmares, this might be a good cause.   It almost happened to one of my children – it could easily happen to yours.

What can we do about it?  How can we prevent this from happening again?

I have no guaranteed solution but I do have some suggestions:

Organize a Neighborhood Watch system with “safe havens” for children or battered women.  Also set up something similar to San Antonio’s Cellular on Patrol system.  Your sheriff can help with both. 

Look into organizing a volunteer unit to help the police get back to policing. There are many non-confrontational things citizens can do.  The Duval County authorities, for example, are having citizens help watch for handicapped parking violations.

Nassau County’s Sheriff Tommy Seagraves has set up a volunteer program where citizens go through classes to be certified to direct traffic at accidents and can issue “tickets” for handicapped parking violations.  They also work with sheriff’s deputies to handle elderly checks or check on property while the owners are away 

I am retired Air Force.  Many years ago, pre-cell phone, I was stationed at Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, AZ.  I can’t remember exactly what had happened, but the police department was going to lose officers due to money problems.

The chief of police went on TV and said something like this:

“I know there are many people out there who are waiting until we lose our officers.  You think you’re going to have a fine time of committing all kinds of crimes and we won’t be able to catch you. 

“Did you notice that car with the ‘whip’ antenna that just went by?  That driver has a CB (citizens band) radio. He saw you breaking into that store and he’s called it in.  We’ll be there in a few minutes.  Please wait – we’d rather not have to waste gas chasing you.”

I’m not saying those were his exact words – but you get the idea.  It worked.  They not only didn’t have an increase in crime statistics, those statistics actually went down.

Cellular on Patrol (COP) does the same thing.  In San Antonio, Bell South provided cell phones to the police for the COP program and we patrolled our neighborhoods.  We didn’t call the police directly (9-11) but we had a central point to call.

I wasn’t part of this particular event, but I know it’s true.

A COP was patrolling his neighborhood when he noticed a car which didn’t belong.  He called it in and, within a few minutes, you could hear the “Weep, Weep” of an approaching police car with lights flashing.  The car pulled up behind the strange car and one of the policemen went to check. 

As soon as he saw the driver of the strange car, he started laughing.  It was another police officer.  The marked car had blown a stakeout – turned out to be an important one, too. 

When the plainclothes detectives voiced their displeasure, the officer asked: “Why didn’t you tell someone you were here? Had DISPATCH known, they would have told the COP ‘We’re taking care of it,’ or something and you would have been left alone.”

They learned and that didn’t happen again.  They also learned how effective the COP program was. 

I’m sick and tired of hearing complaints.  Here’s something the people can do about a serious problem.  Check with your sheriff or police and become a part of the solution – not part of the problem. 

IRISH BLESSINGS UPON YOU ALL and MAY YOUR ENEMIES BE AFFLICTED WITH ITCHING WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF SCRATCHING.  Let’s just see how much of a problem they can be to you if they have that kind of problem themselves.