Why didn't Shawn Hornbeck try to get away from Michael Devlin?

Answer 1

I have been condemned from many of my friends for the answer I'm about to give. Please don't butcher me too bad. I'm just trying to stay open minded.

As it stands right now... We have heard from the media that M. Devlin was a preditor in another state and failed to register in missouri... Then, today they announced that was a media mistake and they had him mixed up with someone else... now... the only thing we have on m. devlin is that he has two traffic violations... I know that S. Hornbeck didn't leave when he had the chance, didn't tell his family when he messaged them on their webside. I know nothing about Devlin... Accept that he was harboring two children that a lot of people where looking for.

I'm not saying that the boys weren't abused mentally, physically, or sexually... I'm simply saying that we don't know... you have to admit, their deminer seems to indicate that they were well taken care of... Oh yeah... sean had black painted finger nails in a few photos... Whewww!!! so does about 40% of all dudes his age these days... it doesn't mean he was distressed... it just means he's a teenager...

Since we're speculating all of the awful things that could have happened to these boys while they were in M devlins custody... lets consider some other possiblilities... what if... what if... what if...

what if... these boys were run aways... Then M. Devlin (illegally) took them in. What if they ran away from their familys because they were being abused there? What if Sean found Ben online and invited him to his safe haven? What if M. Devlin is an idiot and thought he was doing the right thing?

M. Devlin should pay the price for his crime... but let's not crucify him before we know what the facts are. There was obviously more going on here than meets the eye.

I'm not saying that I have it figured out... and I know what was going on... but I suggest u do the same... don't just automatically assume that these boys were molested... Just for a minute suppose they weren't... If that's the case... yes... M. Devlin has done damage to these boys for harboring them... but the media and the populus has done ten times more damage for speculating and propigating not only storys about M. Devlin... but story about what "could have" happened to them... they will have to live with these stories for the rest of their lives... give them a break... wait for them to tell their stories before we cast in stone what M. Devlin did... and what happened to them.

Answer 2

I understand the power that an adult can have over an 11 year old child.

The main threat was probably that his family would be harmed. Who knows? Maybe Devlin did not even know where Shawn lived. But, what if he did know where Shawn lived? What if he planned Shawn's kidnapping in vivid detail? "I know where you live and I know what your family looks like and if you even attempt to leave me, I will go after them" is a very real threat to someone that young.

Or it could be that Devlin put it into Shawn's head that no one would want him back now, that it was Shawn's fault that he got abducted.

As for the cell phone, I tend to think of those as electronic leashes. My sister gave one to my nephew. Then she would use it to find out what he was up to. She was able to login to the website and literally track his every move. (My nephew did not like that one little bit)

We do not know what type of plan the cellphone had. If it was one of those family plans like T-Mobile which allows free calling between friends and family, then that cell phone might have been the closest thing that Devlin could do to keep tabs on Shawn.

So, the gift of a cell phone might have appeared to be proof of the freedom given to Shawn. But in reality, it might have been an electronic leash with just the bare minimum time and whatever threats to friends and family to keep Shawn from using it for anything but just the intended purpose.

The fact that Devlin kidnapped Ben implies that Shawn had reached an age where Devlin was no longer interested in him. This leads me to wonder if there were others or if Shawn was the first? I somehow doubt that he was.

Answer 3

More than likely he didn't try to escape because Devlin had scared him into believing that he would bring harm to his friends and family if he tried to run or to tell anyone what was going on...On the other hand there is also the possibility that Devlin gave Shawn all of the things that he wanted and he thought that he was happier there than with his real parents

Answer 4

Because he was a kid. He was kidnapped at 11 years old. He probably was held by force for the first couple years until he was brainwashed into thinking it was "normal".
A better question is this: From reports on TV Michael Devlin had family in the area. brothers, cousins, even a mom. Why didnt any of them question "Hey, who is this kid living with you?" I can see him pulling the wool over neighbors and co-workers eyes, in saying that it was his son, but you very well cant do that with your relatives. If out of the blue one of my brothers or cousins popped up with a kid in his house that ive never seen or heard of before i think i would question who the hell the kid is and wouldnt buy the son lie.
Was his family helping to cover up for him?

Answer 5

Maybe he was scared. Who knows what Michael Devlin told him?

Answer 6

He might have been afraid to run away at first and afterwards Devlin could have told him anything. Kids are raised to do what adults tell them to do.

Answer 7

I hope I never have to hear this question again as long as I live!!!! Go get yourself kidnapped by some pyscho path like Devin, come back in 4 1/2 years and let us all know!!!

Answer 8

usually these monsters tell their victims they are going to kill all the victim's family so the pour things behaves like a slaves.