The Worth of a Child: Missing Children
Does One Child Really Matter?
I have been watching this mystery through the eyes of a parent; I have two teenagers. I am easily able to feel a sense of horror, loss, fear and disbelief at that thought of a missing child. We like to believe that we can protect our children from harm. We have to believe that once our children leave our care the teachers, the other parents, the bus drivers, the religious leaders, the law enforcement officials…EVERYBODY is looking out for them. To be able to let our children grow up, to be able to confidently wave goodbye and maybe even tell our children "it will be okay", we have to let go of our own fears and trust in God and all the other people on the planet.
The sad truth is that all the other people on the planet are not trustworthy. They do not all have the same goals or the same ideas of honesty and they certainly do not all love our children the way we do. I admire Beth Twitty so much. I really do. As Natalee's mother it was she who kept her face and Natalee's name in the news, in the headlines, at the water cooler. It was she who kept pressing the Aruba officials to, for God's sake, do something. She was forced to trust what was being done, that it was being done correctly and that because a judge was involved that it wasn't "Oh, it's you, Judge…so sorry to have bothered you. Please, have a donut. You can go."
Not only did she rush to the site of her daughter's disappearance thousands of miles away, she remained firm and steadfast and able to lead the crusade into the details, the reconstruction of that night. She has said she is aware of sexual abuse against her daughter on that night. I am not sure how well I would handle hearing my baby was raped before she disappeared and where I would find the composure to keep standing in front of the cameras to do interviews and to keep telling the world my daughter is a person, please don't forget her, please don't let the bad people in the world know that one child will not matter.
I saw her on television explaining that young girls go missing on Aruba and are sold as sex slaves. I was wondering where she got her composure and understanding her hope that Natalee was still alive somewhere - anywhere-and hoping she would just be found and could go home again.
What I find interesting is that, in fact, one child does indeed matter.
Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped from her bedroom on June 5, 2002. Everyone knew her name and what happened and everyone was horrified because she was 14 years old…too old for blind trust to follow someone, and she was at HOME…home where her parents believed they were keeping her safe. Parents across the nation tightened their grip on their children, and made conscious efforts to further protect their homes. Elizabeth was found alive nine months later with the help her parents struggling to keep her name in the news, of thousands of volunteers, hard-working police and John Walsh (See Adam Walsh, below).
Jamie Bulger's mother had her back turned while shopping when two boys led her baby away at a shopping mall. All three of them made international headlines when the body of the tortured baby boy was found, and Jamie is forever remembered by parents who were reminded that evil has a face and is really here and able to do anything at any time. I had a son the same age as Jamie when he went missing so perhaps I remember him more than other people, but he still affected millions of people internationally. I still see petitions to lawmakers regarding Jamie, and I still mourn his loss.
"Baby Jessica" McClure was one child who stopped time 19 years ago. She was 18 months old when she fell into an abandoned oil well in Texas. All adults, all parents in the United States at that time knew her name. They were all praying for her. Children knew about her. Children knew they had to be quiet and were fixedly watching the television for news of her rescue. For one moment in time the whole country was sure she would be rescued and we were all just waiting to hear when. It was a tense 58 hours later and everyone I knew cried when she was carried out.
Adam Walsh's name has been on everyone's lips at least once during the past twenty-five years. He was 6 years old when he too disappeared from a shopping trip with his mother. Back then no one was available to help, no one shut down the store to help look, no one was helping his mother in her desperate search. It was 2 hours before someone finally called the police, and Adam was missing for sixteen days before his body was found. However, Adam's father (John Walsh) has gone on to make sure Adam mattered. Because of him we now have "Code Adam" to aid in locating lost or possibly kidnapped children in businesses nationwide.and shows like "America's Most Wanted" making sure that bad people are caught and everyone is a little safer.
Because of the worth of just one child we have things like "Code Amber" to aid in finding kidnapped children and "Megan's Law" to alert people to nearby sex offenders. What I would like to see are more people giving more time and effort into doing what they can to help others like themselves. Others who also work to provide for their family's needs and who are faltering in the worst moment of their lives. The moment they realize their child is missing…the moment policemen knock on their doors to tell them their child is dead. What I would like us all to remember is that it could be us. It could be me tomorrow. It could be you. In your worst moment, wouldn't you like to be able to look around and realize one child makes a difference? My child matters.
Published by Elisa Ashley
Elisa is currently very heavy into writing, living and loving with the man of her dreams, Matthew Austin. View profile
- Ottis Toole Charged with Murder of Adam Walsh 27 Years After Commission of Horrifi...Serial killer Ottis Toole officially named the killer of Adam Walsh
Jeffrey Dahmer Linked to Adam Walsh SlayingAuthor, Arthur Jay Harris, feels certain he has solved the 1981 case of the kidnapping and murder of Adam Walsh from a Sears department store in Hollywood, Florida.- Police Solve the Adam Walsh Case, 27 Years LaterThe Hollywood, Fl. police department determines that longtime suspect Ottis Toole was the killer of Adam Walsh.
Cybersleuths Solving Cold Cases Through the Use of the InternetOrdinary people are using the Internet and are helping to solve cold cases. Here is a look at how some cybersleuths try and have had some success in bringing closure to various...- Children from Another World: The Chronicles of Narnia This is a research article about children's literature, mythology and popular culture. It tries to understand the important role that the very different religious sensibilities of authors like C.S. Lewis and Philip P...
- John Walsh and Reve Walsh Give Meaning to Adam Walsh's Short Life
- The Case of Adam Walsh Has Been Solved
- America's Most Wanted: John Walsh is a Real Live American Hero
- Adam Walsh Case Closed: After 27 Years, Ottis Toole Named Murderer
- Interview with John Walsh of America's Most Wanted
- Adam Walsh Murder Solved; Ottis Toole Expected to Be Identified as His Killer
- Adam Walsh Murder Case Finally Solved, Florida Police Say
- "Code Adam" "Code Amber" and "Megan's Law" are helping to protect and recover children.
- "Baby Jessica", Adam Walsh, and Elizabeth Smart affected the nation.
- One child matters, and parents have power.
25 Comments
Post a CommentWhat would you do if it were your daughter,sister, niece, cousin we all have people the we love it can happen to anyone......
Every day, in every country children go missing.
Not many would give up their spare time to actively take on the challenge
of keeping the faces of missing children in the public domain. This is the key
factor to any abduction; the child needs to be seen.
This is the sole purpose of the existence of "Forever Searching", a UK based
group, made up solely of volunteers from all over the world. For the last 6 months, this group have actively circulated thousands of images of missing children, using the Internet. "Forever Searching" can not do it alone, they need support - this is everyone's problem, not just the families`, if anyone with basic computer skills can give any time to assist in this groups goal, please contact:
register@foreversearching.com
And please, always remember that one child missing is one too many,
together we can make a difference.
Let's Bring them home.
K
this is crazy going somewhere thinkin you'll be safe the next minute someone from your class is missing, I read that she's not the only girl missing in Aruba, and I think that bar has something to do with all this, the bar Carlos 'N Charlie's
Well, I was thinking about Aruba for a family vacation....but now I guess I'll just take some buddies and head on down to the sex shops instead!! Giggity!
I like your article and think it was well written. I don't know why so many people are offended but if someone insisted I apologize to them without basis, I'd probably do it in poop graffiti on their houses....
these things make me cry. and it's because to me every child matters. good article here.
Editorial or not, you need to hold yourself responsible for your work and the opinions you put forth. Meaning it's not asking too much that you get the facts straight. That means when you quote someone who is giving false or misleading information, you point out that the facts contradict the person's opinion. Don't be surprised that when you fail to do so, your readers do so for you in their comments.
No, there are no other missing girls in Aruba.
No, there is no history of kidnapping and being sold into slavery (of any kind).
No, there is no proof that Natalee Holloway is dead, raped, or has been harmed in any way.
No, there is no proof of any of the boy's involvement in any crime.
No, there is no proof of a conspiracy of anything. But then the lack of proof, is often the only proof conspirary theorists need.
Pardon my error, Elisa. Thank you for correcting me, Nathan. Nathan Waldron? can we assume relative or husband of Elisa?
Anyway, Elisa has a point. Yes, ALL children are precious, but she leads with Natalee Holloway, and she makes comments that are not factual. yes, a terrible situation exists EVERYWHERE, children go missing in the US every day it would appear, but only once in the history of Aruba. She clearly states that Beth said girls go missing in Aruba and are put into sex slavery. those are very damaging remarks, and the article would have had just as much meaning and effect without them. or without any slurs against the island of Aruba. Then you may as well indict the entire U.S., which now boasts 500,000 REGISTERD sex offenders. That would also make an interesting article. My apologies Elisa. again, you still haven't name the "Missing GIRLS" plurel, that have gone missing in Aruba and are sent to the "sex slave camps" -which are??? Probably located in the red light distr
con'd
Most sex slavery deals with poor women from the orient being imported into the US. you might want to do an article on THAT
You have accused an island of trafficing in human flesh. I think that could likely be considered libelous without the factual evidence to back it up. And if Beth Twitty is claiming that happened to her daughter, than I wish she would make up her mind. Was she raped and murdered by the three suspects as she has screamed on TV for nearly a year, or is she in sex slavery? Which is it? one or the other? Either claim is slander and libel, and you perpatrate that putting it in your article. You are obligated, if you are going to publish something on the net, that you check your facts, even if it is an editorial.
Eliza, you say there are other missing girls in Aruba? Please name one. Amy Bradley does not count as she was with her family coming into port in curacao when she disapeared, and police believe that she was killed by a POLISH crew member she was involved with during the cruise, so move on to a name and date of another missing girl, if you are going to put that in your article. You are accusing a people of trafficking in human flesh, a serious charge, please provide proof.
The island of Aruba is part of the Dutch Kingdom and home to thousands of beautiful young girls with blond hair. They are part of a program with Dutch universities where the students go for a six month internship at the end of their studies. Not a single one of these girls has ever gone missing. EVER.
The Aruban Police did go to brothels in the surrounding areas and found no American women working in any of them. If you really read about the sex slave trade you will find that most of it deals in poor women from th
"While there is research involved in writing this, this is my opinion on one situation in the world."
While you are entitled to your own opinion, you are not entitled to your own facts. There is no evidence AT ALL that Natalee Holloway is DEAD, much less raped and murdered.