Official: One Kidnapped Boy Stood Guard So Another Couldn’t Escape
Posted February 2, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Did one kidnapped boy stand watch over another so he couldn’t escape?
That’s the frightening scenario being put forth by one unnamed official as the investigation into the abduction of two Missouri children continues in the U.S.
Thirteen-year-old Ben Ownsby was taken near his home on January 8th. Four days later, sharp-eyed cops in a town near St. Louis spotted a suspicious pick-up truck believed used in the kidnapping and investigated.
What they found stunned them – not only was Onwby in the apartment of a man named Michael Devlin, so was 15-year-old Shawn Hornbeck (top left). The latter boy had been missing for four years after having been abducted while riding his bike in 2002.
But now one official close to the investigation says it appears Hornbeck was so traumatized by what happened to him in his first 30 days of captivity, that he lost his identity and came to see his accused captor as his friend and surrogate parent.
It’s a condition often seen in these kinds of cases. And the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claims it took a toll on the teen. He says there’s strong evidence to suggest Hornbeck actually stood guard over Ownby while Devlin went to work at his pizza manager’s job for hours on end.
According to the official, it was Shawn who came to the door the night police came calling about the truck. And it was Shawn who told Devlin to hide his new captive in a bedroom and to stay silent while he spoke to the cops.
The same investigator insists Shawn watched over Ownby to ensure he was still there when Devlin came home.
Previous reports had indicated that the two youngsters never had contact with each other, a claim this story appears to refute.
Whatever Hornbeck’s actions, the source behind the unfolding “Missouri miracle” warns you shouldn’t judge him harshly.
“He’s a victim,” the official reminds. “He was kidnapped. He was taken from his parents. He was forced to live with this guy. He was forced to accommodate.”
Hornbeck’s family has refused to comment on the revelation, insisting the story will come out only when Shawn is ready to tell it. And they’re not pressing him for details.
Authorities across three states are now checking into the disappearances of as many as six missing or murdered children dating back to 1988 to see if Devlin might be a suspect in those cases as well.
The 41-year-old has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
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