Introduction, Apologies and Doing Things Right

[vipernicus42]

Hello All,

My name is Jon and I'm from Canada. While I'm unfortunately not a member of law enforcement, I've registered here to try and right some wrongs which were recently done by a member of a forum that I frequent.

I'm a registered member of the Rx7Club, and before the eyes start rolling, I would ask you to hear me out. I am what I would consider a respected member of that forum's "1st Generation" section, and recently found out that some spill-over from one of our threads resulted in a few people coming over here and causing a scene, misrepresenting our forum and just generally not being polite.

The thread in question, as you probably have all seen, relates to the missing daughter of another of our respected forum members. I'm not going to talk about the thread in detail, or bring up any of the things which were tossed back and forth in the locked thread, because that's not why I came here. I refer to it just as a point of reference.

You see, for the most part we are a very close-knit forum, with many of our senior members knowing each other personally. When Carl's daughter went missing, many of us responded in the only way we knew how, which was to spread the word. While this was done with good intentions it wasn't always done tactfully, or properly. The person who posted here on the club's behalf isn't even an active poster, but rather just a person who found the thread and tried to help out in the only way he knew.

I'd like to try and apologize on behalf of my forum for the way in which we intruded in upon your forum. I understand that child-runaways aren't the most serious, most high profile, or rarest of cases. I also understand that there isn't much that you folks can do to help Carl find his little girl. We just care about Carl, many of us having met him, and in some cases his daugher as well, and we know that he wouldn't dare post about it if he didn't think it was serious. I know some parents overreact, but I would dare say that if I had a daughter, I would probably be the same way.

While posting something like this on *any* forum isn't the best or first way to deal with this kind of situation, it has resulted in many helpful suggestions, a couple small pointers for clues, and most recently the volunteering of a passing PI local to Carl's location. I'd say that those small things, which took place while Carl and his family pursued other means of dealing with this, made the thread worthwhile. The local authorities have been unfortunately unable to help him, though he has tried all the means at his disposal, because the runaway of a 16 yr old daughter with no hard evidence of foul play just isn't high enough priority. This is unfortunately understandable when you look at the facts, but discouraging nonetheless.

Again I apologize for our lack of etiquette, and if the moderators here would like to lock this thread I would welcome them to, if they deem it appropriate. I also invite anyone who wishes to take another look at the thead to do so (the girl's picture is in the first post, and any info we have is in the thread). Every forum has some bad apples, and in recent days the publicity of trying to find help on other forums has attracted a few newcomers who dont' know the rules.

Thank you for your time. I have turned on the forum option that allows people to directly e-mail me if someone would wish to not post something in the thread to me.

Jon Walker

-1984 Mazda Rx7 GS

[acreature]

Thank you. IMHO it will go a long way here.

[txinvestigator1]

Wow Jon, that was nice and unexpected. I hope your friend finds his daughter.

I did give one of the instigators a link to the Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Did he post it?

Here it is again http://www.missingkids.com/

[Norm357]

That took class Jon. I hope your friend finds his daughter.

[greenlead]

Thank you, sir!

[metallicat]

First off, I want to say that I hope everything works out for the member whose child is missing. Secondly, I wish things didn't transpire the way they did, but unfortunately that is what happened. Thank-you for coming here with this message. Take care.

[Kate]

A very moving post -- well said, Jon.

Best of luck to your friend with finding his daughter and bringing her home safe and sound. I know if it were my daughter, Chrissi, I wouldn't eat I wouldn't sleep, I wouldn't stop until I found her. So to your friend I say, from one parent to another, stay strong and don't give up.

Please keep us updated with what happens.

Take care,

Kate

[vipernicus42]

I'll do my best to keep you guys posted if and when something big happens. Hopefully my next/last post will start "Well guys, she's home"

Thanks for listening guys ,

Jon

[Jynkxxie]

That took class Jon. I hope your friend finds his daughter.

Ditto.

[tpd_six]

Thank you for the post and kind words, It's much appreciated. I think I speak for everyone here when I say I wish there was something I could do. I did read the original post on your website, and I wish you all the best of luck. I'm confident she will turn up safe with some patience and level headedness like you have displayed here.

[Dayna36]

I am sure the Rx7club member posted with good intentions. I'll pray the girl turns up and is OK. I know I would be frantic if my child went missing.

[Whitewolf1970]

I hope you and others will help find your friend's daughter. Good luck. I'll pray for him and his family. You can ask my friend in her website, she and her husband are good for spreading the missing posters to everyone: http://community-2.webtv.net/superke...ericasMissing/ I'll give you her email in Private Message so you can give it to your friend. She's a friend from Family Genealogy (sp?) forum.

[mcsap]

RP did get trashed a little but I suspect it was more out of frustration than anger. Good post Jon and you know that we want her to be returned home safely.

In the daily business of being a LEO, teens who defiantly take off are not viewed in the same light as a young child or an abducted child. Sorry but it is true. It isn't that we won't look for them , especially if we have ANY idea where they are. They just don't have the priority in the scheme of things.

I have a 16 and 14 yr old girls and would be DEVASTATED if this happened to me.

[Rad Diver]

PM me with the details. I live/work in the Central Florida area. I need: Name, DOB, physical description, mode of travel, hobbies/intrests, possible areas she might be in (i.e. drug-if so what type, meth or cocaine), does she have a driver's license-what state, who she might be with. If you give me her name I may already have the info on my laptop.

We get 10-20 runaways a day reported, it is almost impossible to keep up with them. It's sad, but true! We get emails from every area of Florida Law Enforcement Offices.

Your friend can also contact the state, MCIC, and get all the info updates if any about her. HE HAS THAT RIGHT (not yelling, trying to make it clear he needs to do this) Missing childrens information center.

You can send me the info or the link to the exact page w/info. I can only keep an eye out for her if I know who she is.

[txinvestigator1]

I hope you will be able to find your daughter. Good luck. I'll pray for ya. You can ask my friend in her website, she and her husband are good for spreading the missing posters to everyone: http://community-2.webtv.net/superke...ericasMissing/ I'll give you her email in Private Message. She's a friend from Family Genealogy (sp?) forum.

Pay attention. It is not his daughter. The person who has a missing daughter has never been here. :rolleyes: