I am a mom of elementary age daughters in Colorado who has been following Jessica Ridgeway’s disappearance and death closely. My husband is in law enforcement here and we knew about the BOLO immediately and he gets regular updates. My heart hurts so badly for this family and it is hard not to hate the awful person who killed this precious little one. Jessica bears an uncanny resemblance to my oldest girl. I have always walked my daughters to and from the bus stop, which is maybe two blocks away, and often wondered if I was just “helocopter momming”. The Friday that Jessica disappeared, I had a 103 degree fever and the flu, so I asked the girls to walk to the bus stop without me. That is the only time I’ve ever done that, and that was the day a girl was abducted. I am just sick, as a mother, that anyone could harm a little girl (or boy, for that matter). I will NEVER miss walking my girls to school again regardless of the circumstances. When I was a little girl, I road my bike all over a five mile radius and explored everywhere (in the Thornton/Westminster area, no less), alone or with a friend–I’m sad I cannot let my daughters have that freedom.
I am so sorry about what happened to you, little Jessica! We pray for your beautiful little soul and will remember you always!
I don’t follow the news to closely, so, I did not hear about the case of this little girl.
I like to think I’m a pretty tolerant person - concerned more with my own faults than trying to judge others on a constant basis - so, I even empathize (not sympathize) with non-violent pedophiles. Seek help, monitoring, and maybe even commitment to celibacy. Something. Whatever works.
But I must admit I struggle very hard not having the automatic desire violently inflict injury and death upon certain kinds of sinners like active serial killers, violent pedophiles, and people that abduct, torture, or kill children. I don’t say that in any way to be macho or “self righteous.” I honestly feel something physiological in me, some physiological change, pressure, and blind rage that I have this desire…
I just watched this news video on Jessica Ridgeway after reading your post.
abcnews.go.com/US/jessica-ridgeway-colorado-community-edge-police-hunt-killer/story?id=17474863#.UHyUX1FAXU0
I don’t know how her parents are handling this. I can’t imagine being in their shoes. That’s a trillion deaths at once.
I remember my first born nephew as one or so years old spending the night over my parents house. I piked him up out of his play pin from crying and slept the night on the couch-bed with him. He curled my hair around one of his fingers for a feeling of security I guess. I slept on the couch-bed with him because I had this great fear of someone breaking to the house through a window and abducting him. I could not bear living if I would have slept through the night while my small nephew was snatched and then vanished. Let alone a horrible violent fate awaiting him. I’d rather all the blood in my body be drained out. Kill me, torture me, take my life but not his.
My nephews are much bigger now - the one is taller than I am - so, I don’t have those same worries. But yeah… when they were little kids I hated them being out of my sight. I guess I terrified my first born nephew as a small kid when I told him to trust no strangers and yell for me if someone came in my parents back yard while he was playing, otherwise the person would snatch him and run off with him. I came running that same day to his screams and tears. Poor kid, a car had driven by in the alley and his uncle (me) had terrified him.
What is wrong with people? Leave the kids alone. I’m not the toughest guy or most courageous guy, so, if you get your kicks off of torturing and killing someone in fear then take me. God will be more tolerant on you if you torture and kill me than if you do that to some innocent and vulnerable child.
I know one of the uncles of Alexis Patterson who disappeared years ago on her way to school. I feel very bad for her.
amw.com/missing_children/case.cfm?id=25452
The text book for my forensic anthropology class says child abuse is on the rise and therefore forensic anthropologist must be able to see the telltale signs on skeletal remains of children.
Satan is working overtime in the United States these days. It’s like child abduction is epidemic.
