No Doubt about Guilt

A young family, living in the Midwest, were blessed with two beautiful children. First came the boy, then the cherished daughter.

Then came the weekend this young father was left in charge of his young children, his wife attending a charity event out of town.

The young father left his children with his mother in law, and attended a street fair with his brother in law. He was careful not to drink too much, and was home with his children around 1am. Both children were fast asleep, so he put each child on a sofa, covered them, and went to bed himself.

Early the next morning, the father is woke by his small son. He reports that his three year old sister is missing.

At first the community rallied around this young family, the mother rushing home upon learning her daughter had disapeared in the night.

3:30 pm the child is found, two in a half miles from her home. She was found in the water, face down. Later it would be learned she had been sexually abused, and strangled.

Law enforcement interviewed the family, even the young son without objection from the parents. The entire family fully cooperated with police, all giving DNA samples, answering all questions.

The father said someone must have come in and snatched their daughter, while she slept on a sofa just a few feet away from her slightly older brother.

Law enforcement immediately felt different. The house showed no visible signs of forced entry; nothing disturbed. Investigators thought it would take an amazing 'stroke of luck' for an intruder to come into the house, take the child, without waking the other, let alone the father--and then another stroke of luck for the intruder, the mother was away.

Now, the rumors begin, the once supported young family are caught in the gossip mill, and 'tips' that in reality this All American family are in reality wild party animals, not acting like grieving parents, shopping sprees..any truth in it? Sure, a friend of a friend witnessed it..or a quick expression caught by the media fueled the increased speculation.

Suddenly a break in the case, the parents of this little girl are called to the police station. They are immediately separated, and the father, is told flat out. "We have reason to believe you killed your little girl"

This father, would be interrogated for fourteen hours, broken down mentally, emotionally, and physically. Repeatedly, he was offered a polygraph, with the disclaimer by investigators that they know he will fail. Finally, this father agreed. As predicted, he did indeed fail.

Early the next morning, investigators have a full confession, the father claiming the death was accidental, charges are filed. The States Attorney announces that he will be seeking the death penalty.

The family never doubted the innocents of this father, they begged until a lawyer with much experience in such cases agreed to take a look at the evidence against this defendant.

After eight long months,including death threats by inmates and being moved into protective custody; DNA and due to a new State's Attorney, this father is free, to return to his family, and prays that the real murderer is found.

And what of the little boy? The son that was sleeping just mere feet from his sister when she was taken? Hours of interviews, being kept from his parents, being told over and over that he saw his father take his sister out of the house that night, all the while he shook his head and asked for his parents.

Was justice ever found for this little girl and her family? Yes. Six years later the rapist and murderer of Riley Fox was found and plead guilty.

So, this is one of many reasons, I will not accuse a family member of the horrible crime of murder without reasonable evidence from law enforcement. Of course there are cases that are some what more obvious, such as Casey Anthony that waited a month before reporting to anyone her daughter was missing, who led police to bogus places of employment and apartments that have been empty for months.

So go ahead, call me a thug hugger, a criminal groupie...as I am sure those are the kindest things some have made in reference to me, my conscience is clear. If in any case I am found to be wrong, I can live with that, because none of the cases I have followed has it been more important for me to be right than the right person or persons brought to justice.

The links below offer more information on the Riley Fox case, and the eventual capture of the creature that ended her precious young life.

http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/rvp/pubaf/08/Burgess_2020.pdf
http://chicagoist.com/2010/11/10/suspect_in_riley_fox_murder_pleads.php