Stolen baby case: Houston police wanted $500 to issue a public alert on kidnapped boy

[pnwmom]

The parents were asked to pay $500 for the police to issue a public alert on their missing child. Libertarianism at work.

This is despicable.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gVpNkZwOrULME9BroXJTI1wqyf2Q?docId=8065662b311845c49b379a6ff302df89

When the boy was reported missing, Houston police declined to issue any sort of alert that might have drawn tips from the public. Champion-Morin said officers told her she would have to pay $500 for that step, and she didn't have enough money.

Instead, she put up fliers and constructed a website about her son's disappearance.

SNIP
With no charges filed, Houston police closed the case in 2006.

Gary Cunningham, chief deputy of the San Augustine Sheriff's Department, did not know why the case was abandoned.


MORE AT LINK

[Arugula Latte]

1. Despicable!!!

[peacebird]

2. Is charging parents $500 standard procedure for putting up the alert? Somehow I doubt it would have

been the case if the kidnapped baby had blond hair and blue eyes.....

[Justice wanted]

7. +100000000000000000000000000 Nail hit square on the head.

[malaise]

9. Ding ding we have a winner

I know a lady who turned ninety recently - she was kidnapped in New York when she was a toddler and was not found for nearly three years. Her parents returned to the Caribbean after that experience - they got very little help from authorities.

[Number23]

11. You are right of course

Even though we all know it's here all around us every day, sometimes I still get sick to my stomach at the way black and brown lives are so completely undervalued in this country. So minimized. Even a damn BABY's.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. I hate to ask this

But what is the pigmentation of the victim and social status...aka class?

Ah, after clicking on link, my suspicions were confirmed.

[Quantess]

6. I read the article, saw the mother's skin color, and let's just say I'm not surprised.

But I won't spoil the surprise for you.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. I know

I clicked and went, why? Oh wait, surprised, even shocked...not.

[Quantess]

4. WHAT!?!

That's shameful. How terrible.

[Justice wanted]

5. Is this Normal? What te F do we have police for and we pay taxes for IF they are going to charge

to do their jobs!

[RebelOne]

8. Even here in Georgia, if a child is reported missing or kidnapped,

an Amber alert is sent out immediately on all TV and radio stations. It does not matter whether the child is black or white.

[TNLib]

12. This should be a federal law that an amber alert is issued in case of a missig child.

I thought it was a federal law. If not it needs to be.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

13. I know there's an attorney out there who would gladly sue.

And they would win!

[BattyDem]

14. As soon as I saw the headline ... I knew.

I knew what the child looked like. Of course, I didn't know the exact shade of skin, but I knew it wouldn't be white.

The word "despicable" doesn't even begin to to describe this situation! How dare they put a $500 price tag on that child? HOW DARE THEY?!?!!