IS IT CLEAR NOW why Shawn Hoernbeck didn't go back home?

Question

His parents are all over the TV and news telling people that he was molested. Geesh.

Answer 1

Yes, some people should just not be allowed to breed. He probably did not care enough about his parents and want to go home. It is really sad that there are people out there who have children and then subject them to a life of neglect, no love and guidance - hopelessness. Then there are those who sexually exploit their children, beat and torture them, and even kill them. Amazing! And, then they continue to breed. Hopefully, someone kidnaps the parents next.

Kiwi: You didn't get the question. The parents have taken the child on live T.V and exposed him to the world. What kind of parent does that, much less so soon after his release. The kid was in a house and had access to a telephone and the Internet. He was even allowed to go outside and play alone. The pervert was at work most of the day. The kid did nothing. FOUR YEARS! He took the pervert over the parents. What does that tell YOU? There are millions of them out there. Did you read about the mother who sold her 8 year daughter old to her boyfriend for sex. The mother and father who beat and tortured their child before killing her. No decent parent would take that boy on national T.V. They are idiots. White trash. Jerry Springer wannabes.

Whootzeid: I hope you never have children. Bottom line. They should have never taken the kid on national T.V. The excuse that they had to do something sooner or later is a sad way to think. How old are you? Are you a parent? No one owes the public anything in this type of situation, and everyone would have understood. Just give him love, attention and counseling. Don't parade him on national T.V. This isn't Show And Tell. It wasn't just Ophra, they have been all over the T.V. and now they are dragging him along.

Kiwi: As a retired law enforcement investigator, and as a student of criminology, I am aware of the Stockholm (a bank in Sweden) Syndrome, which was Patty Hearst’s defense for participating in a short lived crime spree with her abductors. People who sympathize with their abductors do not take their empathy to that level. It was a “defense” to protect her from prosecution. Yes, people can be brainwashed, especially those who are mentally and emotionally weak, such as children. In addition to my career background I am a father. My parental background, and instincts, tells me to not parade my children before cameras and people. You said, “So, his parents went on T.V. and said he was molested. Well, he WAS.” That is the point that escapes you. A mother and father do not do that to their child simply because he WAS. Parents do not expose their children to ridicule and curiosity seekers. That is not counseling and it is not therapeutic. As one responder said, Oprah was guilty as well – and she was. Did you hear how she grilled the kid like a defense attorney? “Shawn, did you have access to a cellular telephone?” Did you have access to the Internet?” Were you able to leave the house?” In a few days, or weeks, a terrible guilt is going to settle in that child’s mind like a ton of bricks coming to rest. He is going to blame himself. In the long run it will do more damage to his self-esteem and his understanding of how to deal which such personal incidents. For now it is just a game. Soon this will consume him and the exposure and insensitive questions will contribute greatly. Once the shame sinks in he will be devastated. You don’t think other kids, and adults, are going to stare, point and make rude comments to his face? He is going to face those rude people for a few years to come. It was a bad move any way you look at it. Rape victims who testify will tell you this. The only thing that helps them in this situation is seeing the culprit punished, but talking about it in public, even a courtroom, is humiliating and degrading. Since you asked me, how old are you by the way and what is your background in parenting and sex crimes? I’m simply interested at this point. It is not personal. I would just like to know for further evaluation of your responses. Thank you for your spirited debate and for sharing your opinion.

Whootzeid: Excuse me for my comment that I hope you never have children. That was out of line. I just hope you one day understand the affect "exposure" has on a child who is involved in a sex crime. It is overwhelming to have reporters shouting questions that infer the child did something wrong.

Answer 2

Kiwi isn't wrong. The parents are not to blame here. I live in St. Louis an I know a few things about the case. First of all, every Tom, Dick, and Harry in journalism is calling them to get an interview. The Oprah thing was the best thing for them to do, because it gave the bone to someone very notorious and now they can say Shaun has done his exclusive. He's not being paraded around, they have made every effort to make sure nothing is shared that he isn't ready for people to know.

Finally, you have to understand that the parents had been very involoved in building supports for other parents who have a missing child. They are as unselfish a couple as you will ever find. I'm sure not going to judge their decisions now based on all they have already done for others. As much as they try, the whole matter of what happened to Shaun is not going to be a private matter anyway, so they might as well use this terrible experience, and satisfy the absurdly pesky public with the best they have to offer.

Your question is horribly insensitve - shame on you!!!

Answer 3

While I agree it was a horrible mistake for the parents to parade Shawn before national TV, I don't blame them so much as I do people like Oprah. I'm sure she dangled all kinds of money in front of them, and they are as poor as church mice and trying to figure out how to get Shawn the professional help he needs. I expect this type of capitalization on tragedy from people like Jerry Springer...not Oprah. She should know better and should be ashamed of herself.

Answer 4

I agree that the parents were completely wrong to take him on Oprah yesterday. How could they do something to a kid who has just been through so much??? What kind of parents do such a thing? Even the parents of Ben Ownby, who had been missing a mere 4 days compared to Shawn's 4 YEARS, had the good sense not to put their kid out there like that! Unbelievable.

Answer 5

Oh, get over it!

We don't know why that boy didn't just leave when he had the chance to go. There are all sorts of torture, brainwashing techniques that sicko may have used to keep him there. Lots of mind manipulation tricks.

You blame the PARENTS???

Yes, sir!!!! I GOT IT!!! And I am STILL sure that the boy didn't go home because of the pressures the kidnapper put on him, NOT because his parents are saying he was molested. Are you old enough to remember Patty Hearst? Kidnapped, and even brainwashed into helping her kidnappers to rob banks.

So, his parents went on TV and said he was molested. Well, he WAS, I am sure! He needs some long term counselling. Parents do, too. They've all been thru hell.

Answer 6

I agree.. poor guy must be so devastated. Someone needs to tell them to be quiet. :( I'm glad he's still alive though!

Answer 7

he problably doesn't know. Opinions are flying all over the place

Answer 8

he is a minor, and for this guy to have sex with him is still a crime in the US,