Mom gets photos of son missing for 24 years

gldstwmn · #1 09-01-2006, 04:02 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/09/01/mis....ap/index.html

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- The mother of a boy abducted 24 years ago said she's bewildered by two photographs left at her front door, apparently showing her son and two other children bound and gagged.

The old photos appear to show 12-year-old Johnny Gosch with his mouth gagged and his hands and feet tied. The boy is wearing the same sweatpants Johnny was wearing when he disappeared while delivering newspapers on the morning of September 5, 1982, his mother said.

"It's like reliving it," Noreen Gosch told The Associated Press on Thursday night. "But the bigger picture is, 'Why are they doing this?'

"Whoever had these photos had them for 24 years. I don't understand why they would do this now. It must be some kind of message."

Gosch said investigators confirmed the photos were authentic and likely taken within "hours or days" of the abduction. She said they were checking for fingerprints that could lead them to the source and possibly a breakthrough in a case that has long baffled authorities. The other boys in the photo were unidentified.

"We are in the process of researching where they came from and whether they've been doctored up," West Des Moines police Lt. Jeff Miller told the Des Moines Register.

Johnny's disappearance triggered nationwide fears of child abductions. He was one of the first faces of missing or abducted children to appear on milk cartons across the country.

Several theories have developed since he vanished before dawn while delivering Sunday newspapers. His newspaper wagon was discovered near his West Des Moines home, but few substantial clues have surfaced since then.

Gosch believes her son was taken by child pornographers. She told authorities he briefly contacted her in 1997 but feared for his life and declined to give details about where he was. She believes his abductors got him involved in crimes, which is why he is hiding his identity.

The National Center for Missing Children is examining the other boys in the photograph and trying to match it with its database of missing children.

"These kids have parents someplace," Gosch said. "I'm sure they feel the same way I did. ... Hopefully we can do some good and give these parents some peace."

Johnny was Gosch's youngest of three children, and she has devoted her life to finding him, from raising money for private detectives to following her own leads and prodded police to try harder.

She also wrote a book called "Why Johnny Can't Come Home."

skcin · #2 09-01-2006, 04:23 PM

Jesus. That's so disturbing.

The kid was a redhead, right? If so, his kidnapping haunted me terribly when I was younger. HBO used to show all these "missing kid" specials & they terrified me. I can still some kids' pics in my head, and remember names. Awful.

gldstwmn · #3 09-01-2006, 05:27 PM

Here is a link to the website with the photo. I just can't bring myself to post the photo here.

http://www.nbc5.com/news/9778102/detail.html#

irishgrl · #4 09-01-2006, 05:40 PM

GRRRRRRRR

I HATE that this stuff happens to innocent kids. I wonder what the motive was for giving that poor woman those pictures NOW?

I pray for all mothers/fathers of abducted children.....

DrummerDeanna · #5 09-01-2006, 05:42 PM

This is so disturbing. I don't even have words

MacMan · #6 09-01-2006, 05:50 PM

That's sad! There are some really sick twisted people roaming this earth!

So, the other two kids, were they missing at the same time, same area as well? or are the other two kids just other missing kids from somewhere else that he's been tied up and pictured with?

GODDESS6 · #7 09-01-2006, 05:52 PM

i so remember this, cuz where i live we had paper boy abductions at the same time, & that iowa is the state right nest to us, tho our perp was caught & executed in 1996~ i have kept up on johnny's story for yrs~ i remember his mother being on the news when her son contacted her in 1997~ it is all just so sad, whata living nightmare~

BTFLCHLD · #8 09-01-2006, 06:14 PM

sick...twisted...
maybe there are prints and they will lead to something...

jannieC · #9 09-01-2006, 06:44 PM

Oh man, that picture is so horrible! I remember this boy's face because it was such a huge deal to kids all over the world, you know? But I didn't realize that he contacted the mother in 1997. I think the abductor maybe gave the boys heroin and they became addicted- and ending up getting some kind of trouble. I know that sounds kooky, but that's what child pornographers do- get the kids hooked on heroin so that they'll become dependent upon them. Maybe it was the son who left the picture on his mother's doorstep? This is awful- so so sad. I hope there is some resolution for this poor mother who has lived a life of hell all these years.

strandinthewind · #10 09-01-2006, 07:15 PM

I just do not get it - it sickens me to tears.

Then, I go on cnn.com and read this, which I could not bring myself to post here as well:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/09/01/do....ap/index.html

People like this ought to be put on an island with others just like them.

DrummerDeanna · #11 09-01-2006, 07:40 PM

Good God

Look at the little sweet dog...how anyone can abuse such innoncent being as children and dogs....it really and truly makes me sick

strandinthewind · #12 09-01-2006, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

Good God

Look at the little sweet dog...how anyone can abuse such innoncent being as children and dogs....it really and truly makes me sick

I cried when I saw it and then thought someone oughta tie him to a chair so he is defenseless and then beat the crap out of him and see how he likes it

DrummerDeanna · #13 09-01-2006, 08:14 PM

Me too...and I agree - he needs to be beaten by someone much bigger than him - and all means of self-defense should be taken away.

It really hits close to home because I'm certain my babygirl was abused before I got her. Once in a while she still gets scared. For instance, last night I got home - she greeted me with her usual happiness..and I with mine. Then I stopped and took my belt off and she just cowered and wimpered. I wanted to cry - I dropped the belt and just held my poor dog - telling her I'll never hurt her...I seriously don't know how anyone could hurt something so sweet

strandinthewind · #14 09-01-2006, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

Me too...and I agree - he needs to be beaten by someone much bigger than him - and all means of self-defense should be taken away.

It really hits close to home because I'm certain my babygirl was abused before I got her. Once in a while she still gets scared. For instance, last night I got home - she greeted me with her usual happiness..and I with mine. Then I stopped and took my belt off and she just cowered and wimpered. I wanted to cry - I dropped the belt and just held my poor dog - telling her I'll never hurt her...I seriously don't know how anyone could hurt something so sweet

Having played a small part in the Scottie rescue here, I have seen things that would HORRIFY most. This one sick fukc lit his dog on fire for fun - they had pis of the healing - my hands shook as I saw them.

I met the dog a year later when they did the parade of rescues at a show and it was so happy just to there. I cried for days.

DrummerDeanna · #15 09-01-2006, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Having played a small part in the Scottie rescue here, I have seen things that would HORRIFY most. This one sick fukc lit his dog on fire for fun - they had pis of the healing - my hands shook as I saw them.

I met the dog a year later when they did the parade of rescues at a show and it was so happy just to there. I cried for days.

Oh my god. That's disgusting...boy...thanks for bringing down my Friday evening