shawn hornbeck?

Question

why was he kidnapped in the first place by that man? and why didn't shawn try to get away if he was so close to his home?

Answer 1

I live in St. Louis, MO.
Kirkwood, MO is considered apart of St. Louis so for me this is local news.
I think for the 1st few months after he abducted Shawn he probably tortured him and abused him to the point where he broke his will. Basically, he trained Shawn like you would a dog.
Children @ age 11 are still highly impressionable and many believe that they have to obey adults. And Shawn was from a small town that probably really instills this in their kids.
Devlin probably tortured Shawn repeatedly for the 1st couple of years. He then probably tested Shawn with freedom in small ways and rewarded him for not escaping but still made Shawn believe that if he did try to escape he could easily find him and kill him and/or his family.
By the time Shawn reached his teens he felt that his family wouldn't want him once they knew what Devlin had done to him. I hate to say this but we all know this had to do with sex. Shawn probably felt shame and guilt and possibly blamed himself for his circumstances.
We can't judge him because we haven't walked his path.
We can only pray that he heals and can move on.

Answer 2

Obviously, the guy did not have good intentions, kidnapping two boys!? Kind of a stupid question?
As for the second question, Shawn was probably told many things to keep him under that guys control. Don't forget, a 11year old child does not have the judgment of an adult. If they did they would just be small adult, they are children because they are still learning and unfortunately, Shawn had a teacher that was lying to him. An adult may have know better but not a little guy. This guy was all he really had. Even children that have parents that mistreat and terribly abused them still love their parents. Shawn apparently had times alone, even times alone with the police, but he may have worried about his abductor finding out and hurting or killing him and/or his family. Maybe he thought he would come after him when he was returned home. Don't forget an 11 year olds judgment may not of figured out he would go to jail. Also, have you watched TV lately? Anything can happen in their little minds. Maybe this jerk convinced him he (Shawn) had done something wrong and his family would not want him anymore when they found out. These people are evil they work for only their benefit. He did what he had to do to protect himself and he is alive to tell about it today. I say job well done Shawn. I doubt a lot of other people would have survived the ordeal.

Answer 3

First off I couldn't even attempt to answer why this man could have done this other then the fact he is sick. I mean I have no idea what could have been going through his mind to take a child from its family. Now onto the other question. I am sure that Shawn wasn't left alone with a computer and phone right away, and had he been he would have probably called his family or the police. However from my past experience I know that it is a lot easier to "brainwash" a child into thinking anything you want them too if you spend enough time on it. There is no telling what this man was telling this child. All I know is I am glad that this psycho is behind bars and BOTH of these children are where they need to be. I am sure it will take years for Shawn to undo some of the damage this man has caused. However it seems to me he is a lot stronger then everyone thinks and he will make it though.

Answer 4

There could be MANY reasons Shawn didn't try to escape. Michael Devlin more than likely brainwashed him and instilled fear into him... He probably told him if he ever TRIED to escape he would kill him, and his family. After a while (psychologists have said in as little as 6 days) he probably developed Stockholm Syndrome. This is where the guy is the only person he had in his life, and like it or not, he had to learn to live with the guy, since he was the only one there to take care of him. The guy probably brain washed him so bad, that Shawn doesn't even realize how bad what was done to him is. Shawn (as well as his family) will have a lot of work to do with counseling and therapy to come to terms with everything he has been through.

Answer 5

He was kidnapped because Michael Devlin is a sick perverted freak. Shawn was probably threatened, brainwashed, and manipulated. He did whatever he had to do in order to survive. He was only eleven years old when he was taken. I live in the St. Louis area and Kirkwood is about 60 miles from Shawn's home. An eleven year old child wouldn't have known if he was 60 miles from home or 600 miles. Even at 60 miles, he wouldn't have had a clue how to get there.

Answer 6

First of all I have never been kidnapped but I would imagine that it would be a very scary thing to have to go through. We have no idea what this man said to Shawn or did to him for four years. He was probably threatened in some way. He was just an 11 year old kid. Maybe the guy threatened to kill his family. There is an explaination out there we just have to wait and see what it is. I'm just very glad that he was found alive and that he is finally home with his family.

Answer 7

I think the man kidnapped him because he wanted someone younger that he could control and he was getting older and the man could no longer control him! I think the reason shawn didnt try escaping is because i feel the man may have threated him and his families lives

Answer 8

When you are 11 years old and you have a man that has taken you out of everything that you know, you get scared and dont know what to believe. This man put things in his mind that made him believe that if he goes anywhere or does anything out of line he is going to kill anyone and everyone that he knows. After a little while you start believing it. I'm not saying that you are doing this but everyone that is needs to stop accusing him of things and stop making him look like the bad guy. No one knows what this boy went thru. Yes he might have had friends and might have been able to go to the mall but no one yet knows what his life was like for the past 4 years. I saw a picture of him yesterday that had a comment ' Looking back at the media as if he just left his press confrence.' It makes me sick to know that people can make something that is Great and turn it into something bad. Until everyone knows what this boy went thru and what was taught to him in the past 4 years they need to stop judging him and just be happy that 1 out of the hundreds of young kids and teenagers have been found and is indead safe and healthy!

Answer 9

I was watching some coverage about strangers who kidnap children today. One of the things that was said was that for one thing, we don't know what the child was told initially. Perhaps that their parents didn't want him anymore, maybe that they were dead, maybe that if they tried to escape, their families would be killed. The people who kidnap children are scumbags and scumbags will say or do anything to get what they want.
Remember this child was and still is young. You almost sound like you're blaming him for not escaping.
He and the other boy who was kidnapped by this creep will never be the same.
I'm glad that he got arrested and I'm glad that both boys are home with their families.

Answer 10

The suspect preys on young boys. I hope he has no other victims that we don't know about, like other unsolved kidnappings.

Shawn did what he had to do for survival. He was about 60 miles from his home, still pretty far. Maybe he eventually experienced Stockholm Syndrome.

Whatever Shawn did or didn't do was fine. He is alive, he is home and what more could we ask for?