MURDERED CHILDREN - HIGH PROFILE CASES

We're all familiar with their names. We've watched the news reports and in some cases even the trials (courtesy of Court TV). Feeding the nations seemingly insatiable desire for the morbid details of the most greusome crimes.

The names of the victims are more than just familiar, they are etched into the annals of history for all time. Laws have been enacted and NAMED after some of these victims on the Federal Level. The crimes are horrific and terrifying. There is no logic, rhyme or reason. How do crimes like this happen? What can one do to keep our loved ones safe?

Various studies have been done over the years regarding people who have been mugged. Time and again the perpetrators found something about their victims mannerisms, gait, and/or lack of attention as their reason for targeting their victims. The perpetrators look for a weakness.

But what about the horrific crimes of child abductions and murders? Although they are rare, their savageness and brutality shake us to our very core. We must ask ourselves...How can we prevent this from happening?

Operationawareness.com has researched several of the high profile cases. The research has revealed some very disturbingly consistent patterns which may be the "weakness" a predator looks for when targeting a child victim. It is persistently downplayed and /or overlooked by the main stream media, most likely because of the pain these families are already suffering. 

However, it just might be a key factor in the prevention of such crimes.

Carly Brucia, Danielle Van Dam, Adam Walsh, Jessica Lunsford, Dylan Groene. Some of these children were murdered by a convicted sex offender and some were not. Clearly the sex offender registry does not nor could it possibly contain the identities of every person that "may" harm a child, making it a useless tool for the general public.

David Westerfield, killer of Danielle Van Damn is the perfect example. Indeed the world was shocked to discover this well educated engineer and father, living in a beautiful suburban California home could commit such a heinous act. But he did and he was NOT a convicted sex offender. A check of the sex offender website would not have warned the Van Dams of dangerous man living right next door.

Danielle Van Dam's parents were "swingers". Although they were married with two children they continued to live an "open" relationship lifestyle. Bringing home several different sexual partners. Some on a regular basis. Mrs. Van Dam testified at David Westerfield's trial that she had been "partying" at a bar with a few of her "girlfriends" drinking, dancing, and smoking marijuana. David Westerfield  was apparently aware of the Van Dam's lifestyle (several neighbors had caught him peeping through windows) and wanted to join in. Mrs. Van Dam however, rejected him.

A few days later Mr. Westerfield entered into the Van Damn home through an open door in the middle of the night and abducted little Danielle. Her body was found a few weeks later. She had been sexually assaulted before being murdered. She was 7 years old.

Carly Brucia, abducted and murdered while cutting through a parking lot on her way home from a friend's house. She lived with her Mother, an admitted prostitute and regular drug user.

Adam Walsh, six years old left in the toy department while his Mother goes off to another area of the store to look for a lamp. Mrs. Walsh admitted to having an affair at the time. Could Mrs. Walsh have left Adam alone to meet with her secret lover? Mr. John Walsh, the  boys' father, admits to being unfaithful often and that he is "addicted to women". He has also stated many times that he was/is a lousy husband. Mrs. Walsh has twice filed for divorce since Adam's death. At the time of Adam's death Mr. Walsh seriously considered divorce. Perhaps it is for the benefit of his public image that the marriage remains intact.

Dylan Groene, and his sister Shasta were abducted from their home. Their parents were bound and murdered Dylan was molested and then murdered. Shasta is the only living survivor of her family. The alleged abductor and killer is Joseph Duncan III. Dylan and Shasta's parents were almost constantly high on drugs and usually had many people coming in and out of their home also doing drugs.

Jessica Lunsford was taken from her unlocked trailer which she shared with her father. Jessica's Mom lived half way across the country and hadn't seen her daughter since she was a baby. Jessica was allegedly left in the care of her grandparents the night she was taken while her father slept over at his girlfriend's house. Jessica was allegedly molested and later buried alive by a neighbor's visitng brother, John Evander Couey. Had Jessica's father been home with his daughter that evening might Jessica still be alive?

Incidently, Jessica's Grandfather with Whom she spent much of her time was once charged with attempted rape. The victim failed to show up for court and the case was dismissed. The grandfather was also accused of kidnapping, but he said it was his son from a previous marriage. Assault and battery charges against him were also brought and then later dropped. As for Jessica's father, he was arrested and jailed on assaulting his ex-girlfriend in North Carolina. Those charges were dismissed. Although the Lunsford men may have been extremely fortunate when it comes to their legal troubles, their pasts leave one questioning what kind of environment little Jessica had in her short life and could it have played a part in her being "targeted".

The common thread with all of these cases is that the parents were living less than, shall we say, good moral lifestyles. Some were drugged out and/or distracted by bad relationships, divorce, and fornication, and adultery. Undoubtedly, these things distract the parents from their parental responsiblitites, they become lax or caught up in their own little worlds and it is the children who pay the ultimate price. One could argue that the lifestyles of these parents proved to be the weakness that attracted their child's killer. It is something definitely worth considering if we are to take steps in preventing such tragedies.

Do some parents unwittingly invite evil into their lives?

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