Kyron Horman -- Missing 6/4/10 #1

Police looking for missing Skyline Elementary student

Story Updated: Jun 4, 2010 at 11:39 PM PDT



PORTLAND, Ore. - Police are looking for a second grader from Skyline Elementary who did not come home from school Friday.

Late Friday night the search for 7-year-old Kyron Horman was upgraded to a major crimes team investigation which brings in the FBI. Officials said the search was upgraded because the FBI has more resources.

Portland Public Schools spokesman Matt Shelby said Horman was at school Friday and Portland Public Schools sent out an automated phone call to all Skyline parents alerting them to the missing boy.

The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and the Portland Police Bureau have been on the scene searching for the boy since early Friday evening and have been calling the boy’s name in the area of the school.

His stepmother took Horman to a science fair at the school Friday morning. They walked through a number of classrooms and his stepmother left at 8:45.

According to the sheriff’s office, the stepmother saw the boy walking toward his classroom as she left the building but officials with Portland Public Schools said Horman’s teacher never saw him in class which started at 10 a.m. The teacher marked him absent.

When Horman didn’t get off the bus in the afternoon, his parents called police.

Shelby said Horman’s parents weren’t notified when he was marked absent because Skyline doesn’t have an auto-dialer which calls parents to report the student is absent. Shelby said the school doesn’t have such a system because it doesn’t have problems with attendance.

If anyone has any information to the whereabouts of Horman they are urged to call the following phone number: (503) 261-2847.

http://www.katu.com/news/95669809.html

I don't understand! If classes didn't start till 10 am, I suppose the science fair was to last till then? Why did the step-mom leave @ 8:45? Maybe if the little fellow went to the classroom and no one was there, what was he supposed to do?

He may have wandered out of the school, and didn't know where to go? There are a lot of questions??

Help Locate Missing Second Grader in Portland, Oregon

Salem-News.com
Jun-04-2010 20:53

The young boy did not come home from school today.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Multnomah County Sheriff's deputies are looking for a second-grade boy who failed to return home Friday afternoon from Skyline Elementary School, in northwest Portland.

School officials said Kyron Horman was supposed to arrive home at about 3:45 p.m., and the boy's father and stepmom alerted the school when he didn't show up. The last time he was seen was Friday morning about 8:45 when Kyron's stepmom left him at the school after looking at science fair projects.

Now authorities say that Kyron did not attend classes all day, and though he usually rides the bus they were unsure if he rode it on Friday. One thing is for sure, he didn't get off the bus at home, if he somehow got on it.

District officials said they alerted other parents via phone.

Anyone who sees Kyron Horman is asked to contact police dispatch at 503-823-3333.

http://www.salem-news.com/articles/june042010/missing_boy.php

There are definitely a lot of questions about this one sitemama. Did anybody inside the school ever see Kyron? Is there confirmation that he was in fact dropped off at the school? Why are they unsure whether he got on the bus? Didn't they question the driver and the other kids on the bus? Logic tells me that if he wasn't in class all day, he didn't get on the bus after school. I hope little Kyron is found soon.

From the time she left & class started, was 1 hour & 15 minutes. Where were all the other kids during this time?

Authorities upgrade search for missing Portland boy to major crimes investigation

By Allan Brettman, The Oregonian
June 05, 2010, 9:37AM

The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office has updated the ongoing search for 7-year-old Kyron Horman to a Major Crimes Team investigation, employing more than 150 personnel from several law enforcement agencies and a police helicopter in a search area in a rural part of Northwest Portland.

The boy was last seen about 9 a.m. Friday after attending a science fair at Skyline Elementary School, according to Matt Shelby, spokesman for Portland Public Schools.

The second-grade boy was with his stepmother at the fair that morning, but never checked back in with his teacher afterward, Shelby said.

Portland police responded to initial reports of the missing boy, then handed the case to the sheriff's office, which has jurisdiction in unincorporated areas of the county.

The upgraded search includes the Portland Police Bureau and its air unit, the Gresham and Fairview police departments, Oregon State Police and the FBI. Search and Rescue resources also expanded to include SearchOne Canine Inc., Mountain Rescue, Yamhill County Canine, along with additional members of the Multnomah County Search and Rescue team.

Also involved: Search and Rescue resources from the Washington County and Yamhill County sheriff's offices, Clark County, Wash., Pacific NW Search and Rescue, and a National Guard helicopter.

Members searched throughout the night, covering more than 20 miles of road and two square miles. Authorities set up a perimeter around the school that only searchers were allowed to cross. The school is a brick building in a rural area of farms and upscale homes along Skyline Boulevard.

Kyron is described as 3 feet, 8 inches tall, weighing 50 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair. He was last seen wearing a black T-shirt with the logo of the “CSI” television show, black cargo pants, white socks and black Sketcher tennis shoes with orange trim. He wears glasses.

Kyron's stepmother contacted the school, at 11536 N.W. Skyline Blvd., about 4 p.m. when he didn't come home on the bus. Because Kyron had not been seen for several hours, Shelby said, school officials were "immediately concerned."

Portland police were notified shortly after that, Shelby said.

An automated phone message was sent to Skyline parents about 5:30 p.m. Friday. Parents of students at other schools in the district also received that message, Shelby said.

Lt. Mary Lindstrand, a sheriff's spokeswoman, said the agency would have searchers out as long as needed.

The boy lives with his father and stepmother. Lindstrand said his mother, who lives out of the area, was on her way here.

The Oregonian/Allan BrettmanLt. Jason Gates, incident commander for the Multnomah County Sheriff's office, outside Skyline Elementary School.Gina Zimmerman, president of the school PTA, dropped by the Skyline search scene Saturday morning with her 8-year-old daughter Madi, who has been a classmate of Kyron for three years.

“He’s not the type of child who would just go out of school and go searching or wandering around,” Zimmerman said. “He’s just a timid, sweet boy.”

Zimmerman said she was in contact with the father, Kaine Korman, and stepmother, Terri Korman, and detectives Friday night. “Everybody’s just worried and in shock that this could happen in our little school where everybody knows everybody.”

She said the K-8 school has about 300 students.

Zimmerman said she arrived at the school around 8:15 a.m. Friday, as most parents and students did, to attend the end-of-year science fair. Terri Korman took a photograph of Kyron in front of his project, Zimmerman said.

Kyron’s project was on the red-eye tree frog, Madi said.

“We always play on the swings together,” she said of her friend. I’m thinking my thoughts for him. I’m very worried.”

Zimmerman said everyone went into their classroom for the science fair and broke into parent-led groups of four or five. She wasn’t sure what group Kyron was in. but she said the last time she saw him was at 8:15, when the groups began going from class to class.

“Then you were supposed to stay with your group. I don’t know what group he was in.”

Zimmerman said the boy has no learning disabilities. “He’s a good kid who follows the rules,” she said.

“We’re really close to the family, “ she added, noting that Kyron has a 16-year-old brother and a younger sister. “We’ve been on the phone with them all night.”

Anyone with information regarding Kyron's whereabouts is asked to call a tip line at 503-261-2847.

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/06/search_for_missing_portland_bo.html

Something is very troubling here. If the children at the Science Fair Exhibits were in groups of 4 or 5, accompanied by a parent - why did nobody notice that Kyron was walking around without an adult after his stepmom left at 8:45am? His picture was taken at 9:00 in front of his exhibit.

I don't get why a 7 yr old was just "left" at the school for more than an hour before he had class. It's really fishy to me. I know that when I drop Tasha (and she's 11) I always stay to make sure she goes inside AND I only allow for a few minutes before what ever it is starts. THAT's only if I don't take her inside myself. I sure hope he's found soon.

More puzzlements:

This is a small school in a rural area...only 300 students.
Why did step-mom leave Kyron alone if all the other kids were in parent-led groups?

There were many parents there that day, but were all parents required to sign in and out at the main office?

Could another adult have walked into the school, and led Kyron out, on some pretext, and into a car?

Stepmom has to be looked at more closely.

Snipped from the above article:

The boy was last seen about 9 a.m. Friday after attending a science fair at Skyline Elementary School, according to Matt Shelby, spokesman for Portland Public Schools.

Zimmerman said she arrived at the school around 8:15 a.m. Friday, as most parents and students did, to attend the end-of-year science fair. Terri Korman took a photograph of Kyron in front of his project, Zimmerman said.

Zimmerman said everyone went into their classroom for the science fair and broke into parent-led groups of four or five. She wasn’t sure what group Kyron was in. but she said the last time she saw him was at 8:15, when the groups began going from class to class.

I didn't interpret "parent-led" to mean that every child had a parent with them and that Kyron would be the only child without an adult. I interpreted it to mean that each group of 4-5 children was led by a parent... maybe more than one, but not necessarily each child's parent....

I also didn't read that his step-mother took his picture at 9:00.... I understood that she took his picture in front of his exhibit, but possibly left about 8:45 a.m. This particular-referenced article actually doesn't mention the time the step-mother left. Kyron was then last seen at 9:00 a.m. (likely by someone other than his step-mother).

Hopefully, this little boy will be found safe and sound. I, as a parent, would be scared out of my wits for my child.

JMO

It looks like you might be right Snaz. One of the earlier articles said classes started at 10 am, so who was in charge of watching Kyron and the rest of the kids between the time the science fair ended and the time classes began? The parent leader of his group or somebody else at the school? Someone really dropped the ball on this one and I hope it didn't cost Kyron his life.

Details emerge about the day Kyron Horman turned up missing

By Lynne Terry, The Oregonian
June 05, 2010, 11:21PM



Friday began as a special day for 7-year-old Kyron Horman. His school in Northwest Portland was having a science fair and he was keen to show off his project to his stepmother.

So, instead of taking the bus near his home off Cornelius Pass Road as usual, he hopped into the car with his stepmother, Terri Moulton Horman, who drove him to Skyline Elementary School.

They arrived sometime after the school opened about 8 a.m., went to his classroom, dropped off his coat and backpack and he showed his stepmother his exhibit, "The Red-Eyed Tree Frog."

Horman, who has raised Kyron since he was an infant, snapped a picture of him standing in front of it that she later posted on her Facebook page. It shows a bespectacled and beaming short-haired boy wearing a blue "CSI" T-shirt in front of an exhibit with photos of bug-eyed frogs, an anatomical drawing of the creature and other artwork.

"He was so excited about his science project," said Carol Moulton, Horman's mother and Kyron's grandmother. "They had worked on it together. He was anxious to take it to school and show it off."

After that, the two looked at other projects set up on desks in classrooms. There are about 300 students at Skyline Elementary, and all of them were invited to contribute to the fair.

Although the school usually opens at 8:35 a.m. and the final bell rings 10 minutes later, the school opened as early as 8 Friday for the science fair, said Matt Shelby, spokesman for Portland Public Schools.

Other students and parents showed up early as well to check out the fair, and Terri and Kyron saw people they knew while looking at the exhibits, Carol Moulton said.

Terri often volunteers at the school, working closely with Kyron's teacher, Kristina Porter. Shelby said that Porter saw Kyron in her classroom with his stepmom before 8:45 a.m. and another instructor reported seeing him in another classroom at some point.

At 8:45 a.m. when the bell rang, Terri walked her stepson down the hall close to his class.

"He told her, 'I'm going back to the classroom, Mom,' and she waves to him and left," Carol Moulton said. "She thought he was safely at school just like he is everyday."

What happened to the boy who went missing is unclear.

Carol Moulton said the kids were supposed to report to their classes and be divided into small groups of a few students each. Each group was supposed to tour the science fair with a chaperone. Afterward, when they returned to their classes for roll call, Kyron wasn't there, she said.

After leaving the school, Terri went about her day, running errands and taking care of household chores. She is a former elementary school teacher and has worked as a substitute teacher at various schools, but Moulton said that in recent years she has mainly been a stay-at-home mom.

Kyron's father, Kaine Horman, works at Intel's main administrative facility in Oregon, the Jones Farm campus in Hillsboro, the company said.

Kyron's biological mother, Desiree Horman, and his father were officially divorced in February 2003, according to Washington County Circuit Court records.

Carol Moulton said that Kaine, 36, and Terri, 40, have been together for seven or eight years and that they have been married for four or five years. The couple have an 18-month-old girl.

"Terri has raised Kyron," her mother said. "She's been with him since he was an infant. She's as much of a mom as the mom is because the parents had separated about the time that Kyron was born."

She said he visits his biological mother in Medford every couple of weeks and that Desiree, 38, came to Portland as soon as she heard about his disappearance.

Kyron was supposed to take the bus home Friday, so Terri went to the bus stop at 3:30 p.m. to pick him up.

But the bus driver told her he wasn't there.

Panicked, she ran home and called the school to discover that he had been marked absent for the day.

She called 9-1-1, setting off a search that's drawn in a swarm of officers and several law enforcement agencies, including the FBI.

Officers, working with sniffer dogs, have combed the hilly, wooded area around Skyline Elementary.

Moulton doubts Kyron wandered off on his own. It's just not in his character, she said.

"He's a little bit dreamy. He's a sweet kid. He gets distracted. He's your typical second-grader," she said.

But he's no Huckleberry Finn.

"He's not real adventurous," she said. "He's a little timid. But if a friend wanted to go outside and look at something, he would follow the friend. He has a friend who he regularly gets in trouble with in the classroom because he talks too much."

Moulton said Kyron will not even venture far from his home in a wooded area.

"He won't get out of sight of the house," she said. "He's pretty insecure about that. So I can't see him wandering off."

His disappearance is devastating for the close-knit family, which plays board games together, goes bowling and enjoys visits to the Oregon Zoo. A few years ago, the family took a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

Terri also has a 16-year-old son from a former marriage who has lived with her mom and dad for the past few months in Roseburg. The teen's father also lives in the area and the two are on a Boy Scout camping trip this weekend.

It will be difficult to give him the news, Moulton said.

"It's a total mystery," she said. "He just vanished. I just can't believe it."

Staff writer Stephen Beaven of The Oregonian contributed to this report.

-- Lynne Terry

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/06/details_emerge_about_the_day_k.html

I don't get the feeling the stepmother has anything at all to do with Kyron's disappearance. It sounds to me like she loves him and has done a good job being there for him in the absence of his biological mother...from the time he was an infant.

I could be wrong, but it doesn't appear to me like she did anything out of the ordinary that day at school; anything that most mothers wouldn't do - at least, not from what information we have received so far.

Obviously, I don't know who took young Kyron, but I think the guilty person will turn out to be someone else.... not the stepmom.

JMO

How sad for this family. It makes me sick at heart to see the smiling photo of the little boy so proud of his project, and then to hear something went wrong for him afterwards. I wonder if they have thoroughly searched the inside of the school. Maybe a janitor or other worker at the school did something to the boy and hid him inside the building somewhere.

I don't think the stepmom had anything to do with it either. It could have been a worker, another parent, or somebody who wasn't even supposed to be in the school. I take it that the school doesn't have any surveillance cameras that caught anything since I haven't seen anything about surveillance in all the articles I read.

Has anyone learned anything more about the bio mom? It seems that she had visitation every couple of weeks. The step-mother seemed to be more involved in the boys life. I wonder if there were any conflicts or moves made by the bio mom to get more visitation or anything like that...?

In this case, I don't think it is any family members. I think it could have been someone who was visiting for the science fair, or some worker at the school.

This school doesn't seem to have security like our schools do. I'm sure they don't have cameras ourside or inside the school. I have to go to the office and get photographed every time I go to pick up one of the twins. There are also cameras outside the school, and inside all the hallways.

So far there hasnt been anything to imply that a family member is involved..

I suspect LE has checked with any video surveillance that wud have picked up the mom as she ran the errands she advised about, about dropping him off...

I suspect there was a perp hiding in the school, (bathroom?..that happened close by to me a few years back.. thankfully the perp let the child go after, and he walked away...never to be found..YET)..our schools have all changed with surveillance, and locked, supervised entrances that are time restricted..) or it was a perp posing as a visitor at the science fair...

Hopefully he is still alive ....God Bless him and his family!

My heart breaks for this little guy...I hope for some reason he ran off and is lost....it doesn't seem a family member would have done this.

Search expands in missing Portland boy's case
The FBI has joined the search for a 7-year-old boy who vanished after his stepmother left him at his Northwest Portland elementary school on Friday morning.

By ANNE M. PETERSON
The Associated Press
Originally published June 6, 2010 at 6:06 PM

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)-- The FBI has joined the search for a 7-year-old boy who vanished after his stepmother left him at his Northwest Portland elementary school on Friday morning.

Detectives on Sunday interviewed parents and students at Skyline Elementary School to glean any possible clues into the whereabouts of Kyron Horman.

The boy and his stepmother, Terri Moulton Horman, attended a science fair at the school early Friday. She last saw him walking down a hallway toward his classroom about 8:45 a.m.

Police say Kyron did not return home on the bus as scheduled and the family called the school. The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office was contacted about 4 p.m.

Authorities have been searching the school and the surrounding area since then. The FBI has dispatched its Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team.

Multnomah County Sheriff Dan Staton said he was "not prepared" to call the boy's disappearance a kidnapping and there were no suspects at this time.

In addition to Multnomah County deputies, Portland, Gresham, and Fairview police, as well as the Oregon State Patrol and Multnomah County Search and Rescue were taking part in the search.

A search of the two miles between the school and Kyron's home did not turn up any clues, police said.

"The mission is the same as last night; that being to locate Kyron Horman," police spokeswoman Lt. Mary Lindstrand said.

The FBI also dispatched a profiler from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit. FBI spokeswoman Beth Anne Steele said in an e-mail that this type of team is often dispatched when a young child disappears, and its presence does not mean that law enforcement has determined the child has been abducted.

Kyron is described as 3-foot-8 and 50 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a "CSI" T-shirt and dark cargo pants.

Kyron father's Kaine Horman, works at Intel. The boy's mother, Desiree Horman, lives in Medford and came to Portland following Kyron's disappearance.

Relatives were distributing flyers with the boy's picture on Sunday. Authorities also began interviewing students and their families individually at the school.

At a news conference on Sunday afternoon at Brooks Hill Historical Church, Staton said the investigators were working to determine a detailed timeline as to the boy's movements on Friday morning.

In addition to interviews with students and families, authorities were reviewing photos and videos taken at the school that morning at the science fair.

The last photo of Kyron shows the boy smiling in front of his project on the red-eyed tree frog.

Asked if there were any persons of interest, Staton replied: "In this type of situation I think everyone is of interest to us."

Superintendent of Portland Public Schools Carole Smith would not comment on the details of the district's policy for reporting school absences.

"The reported disappearance of a child from one of our schools is unprecedented and deeply troubling," she said.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012048758_portlandboy07m.html

It seems to me that the investigation is going in the same direction as the Croslin case....

I realize their reporting and updates have to be truthful but with statements like ....

"everyone is a supect" ..... and

"Multnomah County Sheriff Dan Staton said he was "not prepared" to call the boy's disappearance a kidnapping and there were no suspects at this time."

Statements like this make me cringe because many ppl in the general population will form opinions and look for dirt on the step mom...

I am not sure why they arent prepared to call it an abduction yet? Hopefully they have very good reason and not just because they have no other answers to give to the public...

If it is anything like the Croslin case we will see next to no docs or discovery or evidence. All we will see is what will be written about her past. All allegations and speculation about a family member...hopefully there is no dysfunction in the family...

I pray for his safe return...

I wonder why they aren't calling his disappearence a kidnapping. Do they think he walked out of school and got lost somewhere? It's possible but I doubt it.

Clipped from:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=10843655

Sheriff Dan Staton said late Sunday night that he was "not prepared" to call the boy's disappearance a kidnapping. He described Kyron as a "missing endangered child" because more than two days had elapsed since he disappeared and because search efforts were hampered by rainy weather.

"We have developed a lot of information which has to be processed thoroughly, and I am not in a position to divulge any specifics of our investigative plan at this time," Staton said in a statement.

It doesn't make any sense unless they know what happened, which apparently they don't. I hope he comes home safely.

I pray for his safe return too...

Watching the presser reminded me of Haleigh's, Jessica's Lunsford, and Elizabeth Smart case to name a few...

It didnt surprise me to hear LE say that they arent looking at this case as a kidnapping..

I understand that they dont want the community to panic, but it is irresponsible of them to say this.. Why???? Well becasue it implies someone who they are in contact with is involved in the disappearance...

Just like diff LE agencies have done in other cases..some solved, some not...

So far, many different sites are looking at the step mom..

There are many questions being asked of allegations/accounts that havent even been confirmed...

like about an alleged conversation between a teacher and step mom about an apptment... why is the mom on FB during this time...and noting how LE have said they arent calling it a kidnapping.. also, comments elsewhere are being made about the number of pics she has of each child and which child is least...

At this point there has been nothing but allegations and very little from LE except they are imo planting the seed to be suspicious of the closest ppl to him (namely the family) and if they dont find him, I suspect they will be help accountable.. Hopefully, if they are truly innocent, they will have no dysfuntion or they will be wrecked...

Also, I noticed in the presser there was no talk of checking RSO in the area.. unless I missed an article somewhere.. I havent seen mention of this....

Kyron is described as 3 feet, 8 inches tall, weighing 50 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair. He was last seen wearing a black T-shirt with the logo of the “CSI” television show, black cargo pants, white socks and black Sketcher tennis shoes with orange trim. He wears glasses.

I'm not liking that part about the Crime Scene Investigation Teeshirt....too close to Caylee wearing her Big Trouble comes Small - which I think was a subtle hint.

Sheriff in Kyron Horman Search Vows, 'We're Going to Bring You Home Buddy'

Portland Second-Grader Disappeared From School Last Week

By SARAH NETTER and DEAN SCHABNER
June 7, 2010



An investigator in Oregon vowed to bring home a missing second grader, choking up as he tried to send a message to 7-year-old Kyron Horman.

"Kyron, we're going to bring you home buddy," Multnomah County Sheriff's Capt. Jason Gates said today, struggling to hold back tears. "Nothing is more important to your family and friends."

Gates said authorities have received 1,200 tips, but are continuing to seek out anyone who was anywhere near Skyline Elementary School in Portland Friday morning.

The captain said he is relying on those tips.

"One of these is going to lead us to finding Kyron," he said.

There has been no trace of the 7-year-old boy who proudly showed off his project on frogs at a school science fair before vanishing Friday morning. He was last seen by his step-mother walking toward his classroom, 150 feet away. He never made it.

Gates said a source at the school saw him around 9 a.m. Friday, but declined to provide details. The school does not have video cameras. The FBI and the National Guard joined the search over the weekend.

"The kids are doing pretty well," Portland Public Schools spokesman Matt Shelby said today. "It's a pretty somber mood among the adults today."

Though there is understandable concern among parents that one of their own vanished in what is typically considered to be a safe environment, Shelby said parents and the students have been cooperative with authorities.

More than two-thirds of the school's population, about 300 children in grades K-8, showed up voluntarily Sunday to be interviewed by police.

Among their questions were about Kyron's likes and dislikes, his hobbies and his friends. His parents have so far declined to speak publicly about their son's disappearance.

Gates said today that parents and students who didn't come Sunday were being interviewed today. Investigators also stood in the street near the school today around the same time Kyron disappeared Friday, questioning drivers who may pass the school as part of their normal routes.

FBI spokeswoman Beth Anne Steele said today that there's not even enough evidence to classify the disappearance as an abduction.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Media/kyron-horman-school-crisis-mode-search-continues/story?id=10847733

This little guy has been on my mind, wondering how this could happen. His stepmother watched him walk towards his classroom 150 feet away, but apparently didn't see him enter the room. Has there been any pictures or sketches of the area between where she left him and his classroom?

It's hard to tell what kind of weirdo may have sneaked in to that Science Fair and taken Kyron....but I'm not ruling out stepmother just yet.

From what I have read about this science fair day in various news media, the children were to return to their classrooms at 10:00am. If this is the case, why did the stepmother just leave this child without a "parent-guide."

I hate to be negative, but this little boy did not just leave the school on his own. There are no cameras at the school. I assume that there was no visitors list, and thus the required name tag to be visible on all non-school personnel. My grandchildren are in schools where one cannot just walk around the school grounds without being stopped. Doesn't matter how innocent and harmless one appears nowadays.
Small school, rural setting, and a recipe for disaster. I viewed one sex offender database for Portland, it listed 176 registered sex offenders. I take registered to mean those who were caught. How many more can be roaming the streets of any city, anywhere, anytime.
I hope that little Kyron is safe and will be found. Hope is all we can do, besides pray.

Wow... that is so alarming.. I havent heard LE talk about RSO's? Cud have missed it though..

Still no Kyron...
----------------------------
Relatives Of Kyron Horman Plead For Help
Portland Second-Grader Missing Since Friday Morning

POSTED: 7:17 am PDT June 8, 2010
UPDATED: 7:39 am PDT June 8, 2010

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Relatives of a Portland boy who has not been seen in four days urged people in the Portland area to keep submitting tips to the sheriff's office.

Kyron Horman, a second-grader at Skyline School, disappeared Friday morning. An exhaustive search began that night and, so far, 22 agencies have helped the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office cover ground in the area.

While more than 1,200 tips have come in, deputies said there's still no sign of Kyron and they have not said whether there are any suspects in his disappearance.

Kelly Ramirez, who is Kyron's aunt, said the family has received an outpouring of support since Kyron vanished from school grounds. In a statement Monday night, she thanked the police agencies involved in the search and asked for the help of citizens in the area.

"The most important thing is to get his picture out there. We encourage everyone, if you would like to help, this is what you can do," Ramirez said. "Print out his flier, put it on the counter of every business you go into. Kyron needs to be seen."

Despite numerous news conferences since Kyron's disappearance, deputies have released very little information about what they have learned since Friday evening.

"We're eliminating those spots where Kyron is not and we're continuing to move forward and find where Kyron is so we can bring him home," said sheriff's Capt. Jason Gates.

Deputies have asked citizen volunteers to stay away from the search area around the school, but Madeline and Maria Sontagg, who live nearby, felt compelled to help.

"I think it's a very sad situation, and I thought, why not go help search for the missing boy?" Maria Sonntag said.

They were ultimately turned away, but their sentiment was shared by others in the community. Deann Graham, whose daughter attends Skyline School, distributed fliers in the Bethany neighborhood of northwest Portland.

"My daughter was scared. She didn't want to go to school," Graham said. "She's afraid that somebody is up there watching them and she's very frightened."

More than 40 students were absent from class at Skyline on Monday, which is nearly double the typical amount of absences.

School officials deflected most questions about the case and said details about the day Kyron disappeared were part of the sheriff's investigation, but they did say that Skyline does not have surveillance video cameras.

A spokesman for Portland Public Schools also said every employee and some volunteers must pass a criminal background check that includes being fingerprinted before they're allowed to be with students.

Deputies Still Tight-Lipped About Details

So far, the sheriff's office has released the following account of events in Kyron's disappearance:

Kyron and his stepmother, Terri Moulton Horman, attended a school science fair Friday morning at Skyline School. She last saw him at 8:45 a.m.

Gates said the last confirmed sighting of Kyron was at 9 a.m.

Several hours passed before Kyron was reported missing. He was supposed to be dropped off at the school bus stop near his house at about 3:45 p.m. When he didn't show up, Moulton Horman called the school, deputies said.

School administrators conducted a quick search of the school, deputies said, and they called the non-emergency dispatch line to report Kyron as missing. The school district also used its phone notification system to contact other parents and inform them of Kyron's disappearance.

Deputies started their search at 5:45 p.m. Since then, deputies said, an exhaustive search has been conducted of the school -- even the roof -- and the woods surrounding the school grounds.

Sheriff Dan Staton said Kyron is being considered a missing endangered child, but he has not called the case a kidnapping.

http://www.kptv.com/news/23829461/detail.html

I am confused how people think the mother could be considered responsible when she last saw him at 8:45 walking back to his class - he made it there and had a picture taken at 9:00 after his mother had left, and then he went missing after 9:00.
I am amazed that there are still schools out there who do not have surveillance cameras and secured campuses, and I'm thankful that my children's school has these procedures in place...
My heart goes out to the stepmother - I personally don't think she did this, but I have been surprised before...I do hope that LE doesn't look at this with blinders on and zone in on her unless ALL of the evidence points directly towards her. Seeing as how she is so involved at the school I just don't see why she would pick the school to do this when all she could have done was keep him home sick from school since she's a stay at home mom - doesn't make sense that she would take him to school to stage an abduction...
It is more plausible to believe that there is a predator among them. It's also not uncommon that a child does wander off - even when they might not have the personality to do so - there was that child recently that wandered off (can't remember name or place) but she was much younger from what I recall, and was later found safely - I do wish that LE would allow more ppl to help aid in the searches... As a parent, I am pretty sure I would furious at LE for turning away people to help search for my missing child. I'm not sure what the weather conditions are, but I hope that any rate he is found alive, and safe...

I hope they find Kyron soon. It's weird how he just disappeared from school without anybody seeing anything. It looks like he was abducted, but to cover all the bases, I hope the school has checked every room and closet, especially those with doors that lock automatically and can't be opened from the inside.

I agree with you Tish...

The sad part is that LE and the meida have a way of doing this... By LE saying that they are not declaring this an abduction is the start of it... Then the media reprting it, and asking questions like for eg. "Is it true that the step mother told a teacher he had an appointment that day.... If this family has any dusfuntion it cud be game over for the investigation...and Kyrons safe return..

These things shud be taken with a grain of salt, but instead many ppl look at it with vengence....Then the wannabees show up to do a smear campaign on the family.. And then the case begins to be a money maker for some media outlets..It is just sickening..

Im starting to wonder if these pressers and statements do more harm than good.. I wud still expect to be updated as to whether he has been found, and if there are suspects but only in terms of protecting...

I notice the parents havent spoken out or at least I am not aware of any pleas/media....

If this is the case, I cant say I blame them.. If i was apart of ther community i wud strongly advise against it..

Look at what we have seen happen in the Cummings case for one.. Words have been twisted and made to be used against possible victims..and made them out to be the perps.. It is a shame a family shudnt feel comfort in going in front of cameras...

It makes me sad as this sems to be a mind set that isnt going to go away.. I see what ends up happening is that the victim is the one hurt the most as LE gets the permission from the public to sit bak and wait for the person they feel holds a key... in the meantime a perp may be walking aways scott free..

I pray that Kyron is found alive and returned home...

Have I missed something? Has there been a published report indicating that the stepmother is thought to somehow be responsible for the disappearance of this little boy?

I agree, tish, that a predator would be a much more likely suspect than this stepmother who has been raising and loving little Kyron.

I feel awful for the stepmother..... I, personally, don't think she is at all responsible. But, like tish, I have been surprised before. I just hope he comes home safely.

No Snaz,

At least I havent seen anything published... It is our society where you will see ppl already doubting her..It is all over the internet...

IMO it appears as though LE makes their statements (not calling it a kidnapping) ..then reporters ask questions if rumours are true like the one in the presser ...is it true the mother had told the teacher that there was an appointment that day?)..and that seems to set the pace...

It was the same thing with Misty... in the first week LE never gave a report suggesting that somehow Misty was responsible... and look where it is today.. go figure!

No Snaz, no published report saying anything negative about the stepmom - but there has been a rush to judgement against her in several different blogs - questioning why she didn't walk him all the way to class - why did she leave him an hr before school started, etc... my big question is why doesn't that school have surveillance cameras - you can get a decent system for just a few hundred dollars - it seems a small price to pay for the life of a child...
I also agree w/ you aj in the parents speaking publicly anymore - it seems that when they do, they are crucified for whatever emotions they may exhibit - if they cry then ppl say they are faking, if they don't, then they say they are guilty because they don't show emotions.... but by them not saying anything ppl think they are guilty and if they rush up there to hold conferences ppl think they are trying to get their few minutes of fame - I remember Summer Thompsons mom was widely criticized for her outpouring of emotion by some, but by others, like me - it broke my heart... it seems like the families of these child victims cannot do anything right - they are criticized regardless of how they behave. It's odd that so many ppl have such harsh opinions, but i highly doubt that any parent envies their position...

Let's hope for some good news on Kyron today.....

Kyron Horman's family expected to make first public statement today

Published: Wednesday, June 09, 2010, 7:17 AM



For five days, as authorities fanned out across the Northwest Portland neighborhoods around Skyline School, Kyron Horman's family has remained silent.

That's expected to change today. Multnomah County sheriff's officials say the boy's stepmother and father, Kaine Horman, are expected to issue a statement today.

The sister of Kyron's biological mother, Desiree Horman, issued a short statement Monday thanking the community for its support and urged people to print out a flier with Kyron's photo and post it in as many places as possible.

Crews continue to comb the area around Skyline School in their search for 7-year-old Kyron Horman but revealed few other details Tuesday as the investigation into the disappearance of the second-grader entered its fifth day.

Authorities said they believe Kyron's disappearance is an isolated case and addressed parental concerns over safety by urging them to keep their same routines.

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/06/post_23.html

Tish said...

"it seems like the families of these child victims cannot do anything right - they are criticized regardless of how they behave. It's odd that so many ppl have such harsh opinions, but i highly doubt that any parent envies their position..."

You are absolutley correct Tish...Society clearly plays a huge role in ther fate of these victims.. and I dont only think it is for children....

Not only on a social level where clear hatred and antagonistic behavior is displayed againt them, but even more importantly, on a criminal level...

There is a good chance Ron and Misty will spend their better life behind bars as a direct result of their words, reactions, dysfunction.. where there is no evidence suggesting that neither one had anything to do with the crime...

The part that is most sad is that LE agencies seem comfortable with resting their investigation, while waiting for answers and putting the entire investigation on potential victims of crime, shoulders..

We the ppl, need to stop feeding into their suspicions ...It seems to me that many ppls "better judgment" is mostly geared in not believeing, nor having any faith in our fellow brother....

The reality of it is... apparently, many ppl, seem to think that any joe on the street, can commit a crime and leave no evidence behind as though they are a "professional" criminal....

PPl need to start realizing that the average joe is no where able to commit a perfect crime and leave no evidence.. Look at KC.. she is a prime example of someone who committed a crime and left a huge trail, like Scott Peterson, like OJ.... Drew Peterson....

It amazes me that the general population feed into LE's unwarranted beliefs, where their "unamed ppl of interest" left no evidence behind... I can hardly wrap my head around it..

All I can say is that as long as ppl continue to look at everyone with doubt.. what is our world coming too?

Looking at the Widmer and Knox case, it is shocking how many ppl, believe a regular joe can actually have the ability to trick science and commit a perfect crime....

We are also putting away young ppl who are parents to children/babies who are sick and born sick, and if they die, many of these parents are being charged and convicted with murder becuase an autopsy cant expalin why they died... and can only say the casue of death was lets say malnutrition... Yet they are unable to have detected a disease lets say where a child baby isnt absorbing nourishment...

It breaks my heart... I actually think that the general public should worry about being with or living with anyone over lets say 55 to 60 where ppl can just die, and for no good reason...Chances are they will have had life insurance which casts doubt on the involvement of lets say the spouse who may have been home when their wife or husband simply trips and falls....

It is really a shame to see our world coming to this...I do not believe that the general population practices any kind of innconet till proven guilty, as we seem to convict for little and right off the bat...

Why no Amber Alert for Kyron Horman?

By Jennifer Winters KVAL News
Story Published: Jun 8, 2010 at 5:00 PM PDT

EUGENE, Ore. - Time is of the essence when a child is missing.

But five days after Kyron Horman disappeared from his school, uthorities still have not issued an Amber Alert.

KVAL News has received numerous calls, e-mails and Web comments asking why, because we have all seen the pictures: the faces of abducted children, broadcast around the U.S. on TV, the Internet and reader boards.

But if you visit the Amber Alert website, there's no alert for Kyron Horman.

That's because, while Kyron is missing and there is a desperate search to find the 7-year-old boy from Portland, his case doesn't fit the strict rules for Amber Alert.

Oregon State Police started their the Amber Alert program in 2002. Under Department of Justice guidelines, for OSP to issue an Amber Alert:

* Law enforcement must confirm that an abduction has taken place.

* The child must be at risk of serious injury or death.

* There must be sufficient descriptive information on the child, captor, or captor's vehicle to issue an alert.

* The child must be 17 years old or younger.

Right now, authorities still aren't calling Kyron's disappearance an "abduction." He is considered a "missing endangered child."

There also are no descriptions of a suspect or suspect vehicle.

But while there is no active Amber Alert, word is spreading across the country. There are several dedicated Facebook pages related to Kyron's disappearance.

Kyron is also on the Missing and Exploited Children website and at the top of the FBI's endangered list.

Eugene police and authorities across the Northwest are also distributing missing flyers hoping someone spots the boy or calls in a tip that brings Kyron home.

http://www.kval.com/news/local/95907964.html?

Classmate: 'I Hope My Best Friend Comes Back'
Kyron Horman Last Seen Friday Morning

UPDATED: 8:24 am PDT June 9, 2010

PORTLAND, Ore. -- A statement from the parents of a missing 7-year-old boy is expected to come sometime Wednesday as investigators wrap up the final interviews of parents, students and staff at Skyline School.

Second-grader Kyron Horman disappeared from his rural northwest Portland school Friday.

Multnomah County Sheriff's Capt. Jason Gates said Kyron's stepmother brought him to school for a school science fair and last saw Kyron near his classroom at about 8:45 a.m.

Tanner Pumala, Kyron's classmate, said he last saw his friend at about the same time when Kyron told him he was headed to look at another student's science project.

"He walked by the hallway and I'm like, 'Hi, Kyron,' and he's like, 'Hi. I'm going to go see this cool one. It's electric.' I'm like, 'Alright, bye.' And that's the last time I saw him," Tanner said. "He never did make it back to class."

Read more: http://www.kptv.com/news/23842774/detail.html

It's so sad that a 7 year old child even has to hope that his best friend comes back. His best friend should be there, anticipating his summer vacation, playing in the pool, going to baseball games, visits to the park, the movies, playing with his toys etc., not missing, and enduring anything else that may have or is happening to him right now.
---

snipped from above:

Multnomah County Sheriff's Capt. Jason Gates said Kyron's stepmother brought him to school for a school science fair and last saw Kyron near his classroom at about 8:45 a.m.

Tanner Pumala, Kyron's classmate, said he last saw his friend at about the same time when Kyron told him he was headed to look at another student's science project.
---

I'm wondering about his friend's statement. It sounds like the step mother took him toward the classroom around 8:45, left, and this student saw him going back to the Science Fair exhibits.
How far from the classroom were the exhibits being displayed?

It sounded to me like each class had that classroom's exhibits in it, and the students were all going from classroom to classroom to look at the other students work. I hear so much about the "investigation" but I'm wondering if that is including an active search... they sure are doing alot of talking - but are they looking??