Missing Adults Found Alive: What's the Appropriate Reaction?

The reasons adults go missing are as vast as the ocean; foul play, homicide, abduction, and in some cases an adult walks away, abandoning their family, children and friends. But, what happens when a missing adult is found alive and what questions are they, or their family, obligated to answer, and to whom?

There is no law that says an adult can’t walk away from their family, their job, or everything they once held dear, and create another life somewhere else. Is it the right thing to do? It depends on who you ask. While a family is devastated when someone walks out with no warning, no goodbye note, no clues as to what happened, an adult still has a legal right to do so. Morally and ethically, it may not be the best choice, but, there again, no laws have been broken.

Several cases have made national headlines; we all remember the “runaway bride,” Michelle McMullen and others, and recently a case of a 19 year old college student, Aisha Kahn, whose family reached out for help and received media attention, the aid of missing persons advocates and organizations, and the hard work of local law enforcement. Found alive and well, she’s got a lot to answer for, but to whom? Me? You? The media? The public?

The “ugly” rears its head all over the social network sites clamoring for justice, screaming for answers, and the “professional pundits” fuel these debates, the “yeas” and the high fives surrounding some of their opinions and comments, at the least, tasteless, and at the worst, shades of lynch mob mentality. Looking for appropriate answers is one thing, but wanting to dole out punishment is another, that's up to the law enforcement agency in charge.

So what exactly is our society’s fascination with passing judgment? Many are demanding answers, repeating that the attention and resources given to finding these adults takes away from the “truly” missing. What a stupid statement. What if it was YOUR missing adult, would you expect less, or would you expect every resource known on earth to be expended for your loved one? And, if that husband, wife, sister or brother suddenly reappears, for whatever reason, would you feel your “taxpayer” dollars were spent unwisely?

Prayers are never wasted. At a time when a loved one goes missing, sometimes that’s the only thing families can rely on. To see those of all faiths come together to pray for a safe return is a display of unity of mankind that doesn’t happen very often. The boundaries are erased and people embrace for a common cause, regardless of race, religion or ethnicity.

It’s after a missing adult suddenly reappears that all the unity is forgotten in an instant, and if the media gets hold of the story, the pundits start shouting about the wrongs that have been done, and what they think should happen to this person. If the adult hasn’t broken any laws, there’s nothing to shout about, and if they have, then it's up to the local legal community to investigate and bring charges, not America's media commentators. If there is information that needs to be made public, they should have all the facts to back up what's put out there before the cameras start rolling, or fingers start twittering!

The return of a missing adult becomes an accountability issue to their left behind family, law enforcement, and those whose resources were used to find them, not me, and not you, they owe us nothing.

How we can be critical when the prayer to find a missing person alive and well is answered? Do they realize the alternative?

The circumstances surrounding an adult who goes missing may not be what we would like or expect, but, until there are laws in place prohibiting adults from walking away from their families, it's none of our business.

Celebrate a life spared and pray that whatever happened to precipitate any adult who feels they need to walk away from their life is rectified fairly through their family or through the legal system, not through public comments.

And, yes, this is my opinion and I welcome yours!

Killer Wants New Trial?

When I read this news report this morning I literally had to get up and take a walk to blow off steam.  It was like a punch in the stomach that took my breath away!  

Attorney: Fulks should get new trial in killing

Posted: Feb 22, 2010 9:41 AM ESTUpdated: Feb 22, 2010 9:46 AM EST

COLUMBIA, SC (AP) - Attorneys for a man on federal death row after being convicted of kidnapping and murdering a South Carolina woman say their client should not be executed and deserves a new trial.

Chadrick Fulks' new defense team says he should get a new trial because his original lawyers were ineffective. They're expected to begin making those arguments at a hearing Monday in federal court in Columbia. Fulks is expected to appear by video conference from federal death row in Terre Haute, IN.

Fulks and co-defendant Brandon Basham were convicted of killing Alice Donovan during a two-week crime spree after they escaped from a Kentucky jail in 2002.

Attorney Beattie Ashmore says his client's assistance in finding Donovan's remains should be taken into account in determining his fate.

So Chadrick Fulks, a confessed killer, has a new team of attorneys saying that his original team was ineffective.  Ineffective at what!?  Fulks and Basham got caught, were convicted and sentenced to death.  Why do they have the right to a "do-over?"  Alice Donovan and Samantha Burns are still dead, they will never have a chance at a "do-over!"

I'm so sick of hearing about killers and their rights!  What about Alice's rights, what about Samantha's rights?  What about the rights of their surviving families?  Our justice system has gone insane when they grant convicted killers more than enough legal representation, paid for by taxpayers, when the families of the victim can barely pay for a funeral in many cases!  What about their rights!?

So Fulks and his new attorney feel that because he finally told where he and Basham stashed Alice's body that he is hoping to get a pass on his death sentence?  What the attorneys didn't say was that it took him 6 damned years to do it!  Could this be the reason Fulks has lead searchers for Samantha Burns on a wild goose chase based on his information? Samantha has yet to be found!  Does he think that Samantha's family should take that into account when he asks for a new trial?

The insanity has to stop!  I will remind you that this is not a questionable case where circumstantial evidence convicted Fulks and Basham, where DNA evidence may prove them innocent.  I've read the appeal  where they told every grisly detail of what they did to their victims.  They were found guilty and sentenced to death and these families will not find peace until the evil stops rearing it's ugly head as a reminder.

It doesn't matter that Alice Donovan found a happy life in South Carolina, or that Samantha Burns was working towards a good career, these two snuffed out everything for them and their families.  

Frankly, I'm sick of them, period.   Yes, Angie, "with bells on."

COMMENT FROM ALICE'S DAUGHTER:

This whole thing is just utterly crazy and I can't even believe that it is happening. I never thought or dreamed in a million years that we would be in this situation six years later. In 2004 we sat in a federal court room and listened to what he and Basham did to our mother. We saw their clothes, we saw pictures and we saw video of them carjacking my mother. I had to get on the stand and testify because I was the person that my mother spoke to while she was captured and then I had to get up on the stand again for the Victims Impact Statement. I had to sit in the court room for hours starring at the back of this bastards head. And never once did he look at me or the rest of my mothers family. He is the biggest coward I have ever seen...We had to listen to his ex-wife tell us about how he abused her and the little baby Miles..This man is a monster no matter how you look at him...And just because he "finally" decided to lead people to my mother does not make him a decent human being...To me he is still the piece of shit that raped and murdered my mother and he deserves to die!

I honestly don't know what I am going to do if I have to go through another trial. The agony of it all is more than words can explain..I can remember when we were told that the jury had come to a verdict. We all walked into the court room..The court room was full to the point where people were standing. The room was full of federal court marshalls..And as we sat there waiting for the jury to enter and give the judge their verdict it seemed like eternity. As the judge read the paper, my mind drifted off to a far away place and I could barely hear his voice. With tears falling from my eyes, and my inner voice begging for him to die...And then I heard the judge say death....With the tears still streaming from my eyes, I smiled with relief and began to sob for my mom....Justice was served or so I thought.....