Shawn Hornbeck?

Question

Does anyone now why he never tried to leave? i read whaere the fbi asked the guys neigbor ?s and he said he thought they were father and son he never saw the kid trying to leave or acting like he was hurting said he even saw them putting up a tent in the yard. What do you think????

Answer 1

We don't know the whole story, lets wait and find out what went on before making any kind of judgment.

Answer 2

Investigators have only begun to scratch the surface of what went on during those four years. Counselors may be able to find out, but they may never know everything. There are a hundred unanswered questions. For example, why didn't his friends question why he didn't go to school? Why didn't the adults who "joked" with "Sean Devlin" about looking like Shawn Hornbeck follow their instincts and call the cops? Were there other adults involved? Were there other victims (maybe he even killed)? Why didn't Devlin's co-workers call the cops when they noticed his truck matched the description?

The scariest thing is that Devlin went to work every day like a regular guy. He doesn't look what we all picture as a predator or sex offender. The only red flag was the lady who claims she heard screaming from the apartment (if that's even true).

Thank goodness that friend (Marshall) of Ben's got a description of the truck, the Kirkwood officers saw it, and the Akers never gave up hope. There are many lessons to be learned for all of us, not just parents. Be careful who you trust, be aware of your surroundings and be willing to get involved if necessary, follow your instincts and most of all, hug your kids and tell them you love them every day.

Answer 3

Maybe because he might have been having fun!! Everyone should just back off becuase it is their life and it is Shawns business y he didnt leave there are heaps of possible reasons!! i dont mean to be rude but just everyone should leave them and be thankful that he is alive and well!
Has anyone actually thought about what Shawn wants!! Shawn is what all this is about so he should be able to decide what should happen about the story and all!!!!

Answer 4

I'm really wondering that myself. If you think back to the Elizabeth Smart case, it was in some ways familiar. She was not held captive as long, and I think at one time she did try to escape. But, eventually she went out in public with the people who took her, just miles from home. You might read up on her because she has been interviewed and you could maybe see what she had to say.

Answer 5

It's very odd. I was watching a news cast where some of Shawn's friends were interviewed... he had a circle of friends as well... the friends even asked Shawn if he was Shawn Hornbeck and he didn't answer. He went by Shawn Devlin (his abductor's last name). He even told his parents when he was found that he had even seen the missing posters. How strange!

Answer 6

Anotherone ....Very well said !!! We as humans have a curious nature and feed on other peoples grief ...Eevryone needs to realize this oneday maybe read my Shawn or Ben , How do you think they would feel if they were to see some of these comments . They have a long way to go , Lets HELP them get there and not DESTROY them before they do .

Answer 7

No I wondered that myself, we are pretty close to where he was abducted, I'm so thrilled for his family, maybe this creep Devlin, told him he would harm his family, we will all just have to wait & see.I know Shawn & Ben's family must be having the best day of their life, a great burden has been lifted off of their shoulders. I am so happy for them.Now if we could only find every child that is lost, wouldn't that be great.

Answer 8

Well, I was going to post earlier but then instead I reported the one guy for abuse. What if someone, like that boys family might be reading this? I question that the guy who said he enjoyed it, is not a pedophile himself. Anyways, that boy was ABUSED and terrified. Read this.....a quote from a neighbor who had called police in the past AND had pointed the truck out to the police who called in this vehicle, the white truck that night of discovery.....

""""Mave said she occasionally had heard the screams of a boy coming from the building, but neither she nor police officers who responded to her call about it could find out the source. "It was a horrific scream, like a parent beating a child," she said."""

Police had been called about this but found nothing because they could not identify the location of the screams....I find this terribly sad, but am glad he is alive...we don't know what happened in the lines of sexual abuse and we may never know because this child needs protection of his privacy.

Answer 9

I think it's the Stockholm syndrome where the person feels a kinship with their captor. We may never know what that sleazeball told that little boy. Look how long Steven Stainer stayed with his captor. I pray Shawn will make a full adjustment with his family and avoid the life that Steven had after his return

Answer 10

I know the answers.
its imposible to know all the specifics about years of history, but I know the broad outlines. because something similar happened to me.

There are many ways in which a person can be fundamentally manipulated, including direct threats and threats directed towards ones family and friends (yes, at age 12 he might well have been protecting his family from retribution if he escaped -or at least believed so, which is all that matters), brainwashing (including food/sleep-deprivation, drugs and other forms of physical abuse, severing ties to any support, coersion, lies, manipulation and other forms of emotional abuse). Anybody whos read Orwell's 1984 has a rough idea of how it works.
BTW chronic abusers carefuly hone the skills of inflicting pain secretively, with no evidence or witnesses, in order to minimise attention and make sure no one believes the victims.

You do not need to know details about this specific person.
His story will be hard enough for him to deal with in the weeks and years to come, without our prying eyes adding that much more weight.
Regardless, nobody's going to know any time soon.

As much as his reappearance is a huge and well-deserved relief to everyone, for that youngster the path is just beginning. It will be a long time before even he fully understands the answers to these questions - if ever. That depends on what kind of care he gets now, and on inner resilience and indomitable spirit.

One of the biggest mistakes the justice system makes in regards to brainwashing/abduction/abuse cases is in pushing such victims for details and evaluations too soon, not allowing sufficient time for them to deprogram and ground themselves, adjust to the outside world. *Of course* the thing most firmly beaten into their brains in every possible way is that they must protect their tormentors, or that they must not discuss details for reasons of shame, etc. Grilling by authoritarian strangers or the press only exacerbates this by re-traumatizing someone who for months or years has survived only by keeping his mouth shut.

If you want to be helpful, read up on whats known about past cases that have had time for the details to come out (focus on first-hand accounts - police reports are notoriously inaccurate/incomplete), educate yourself about activities of victims rights organizations.
(one thing I know is: at present, male victims are especially under-cared-for and re-victimized. But all victims tend to be neglected while everyone focuses on 'getting' the bad guy, or satisfying their curiosity, or even proving that it didn't really happen)

respect privacy, vote smart, spread compassion, donate and volunteer.

Answer 11

I can't believe these answers I'm seeing. This was an eleven year old child! He was threatened, brain washed, and manipulated. Michael Devlin is a sick perverted freak of nature and Shawn did whatever he had to do in order to survive! He has no "smirk" on his face. He is nervous and overwhelmed. Who are you people to judge him? He's home safe and that's really all that matters.