I was wondering everyone's thoughts on the abduction yesterday of the seven year old girl from Philadelphia. I hope it isn't so, but my gut instinct says it is a scam for a couple of reasons: 1. The kidnappers knew the phone # of the family (possible, but not likely). 2. They asked for $150K ransom. The family lived in a poor section of Philadelphia (everyone knew they did not have $150K). Plus, if you're going to kidnap a kid, why not a rich kid? 3. The little girl chewed the tape, escaped up the stairs and then broke a window (apparently this did not alert the kidnappers?). I believe the recent Samantha Runnion kidnapping is now producing "a copy cat syndrome". Which is totally sickening. I am glad the little girl is alright and I hope that whoever did this is caught. Dani
Hi, Usually I keep my mouth shut, but I too thought this was a scam. I heard this evening that the 100K was the same amount the family had received in an insurance settlement earlier during the year. Either way, it is sad. It is truly sad when any child is taken, but it makes it worse when copycats arise.
Not True!!! The grandmother (the girls "surrogate" mother since her real mom and dad have had past criminal histories/in jail) collected $150K for an insurance settlement over the granmother's brothers death. The thought is that someone knew about this and that is why they demanded exactly $150K. The likelyhood is that is was an attempt to get the grandmothers money from her bro's death. That means that someone knew about the settlement...so they would know the families phone#...but not a "SCAM" (unless you call a kidnapping a scam). I believe they will find out it is someone who knew the family, or even a family member...but not a SCAM so to speak. It appears to be a real kidnapping. -Peace, Dave
I agree, Dave. Dani - what did you mean by "scam"? Deception on the part of the kidnappers or deception on the part of the family of the little girl? And, btw, people who live in "those kinds of neighborhoods" most definitely can have $150K.
I think it is a scam because I believe the family is involved. I don't put any of the blame on the little girl, she was an innocent victim. And where did I put "people from those kind of neighborhoods?" I was born in one of "those neighborhoods" and nobody had $150K sitting around. Heck, the house wasn't even worth that much. I think we bought it for 33K. When I read the Washington Post yesterday morning it did not mention the insurance settlement, only that the kidnappers called to ransom the child. I am sorry, I still have my doubts. Hopefully, I am wrong. Dani
I see. I gues I still don't understand who the family is supposed to be scamming. Each other or the American public? If one family member is scamming another - that's still a valid kidnapping. If the family is scamming "us" (i.e. the public), to what purpose would they be doing it? This is the part that I don't understand re it being a scam. You didn't, exactly. I paraphrased from your statement in the first post: The family lived in a poor section of Philadelphia (everyone knew they did not have $150K) to reply that people who live in poor sections of Philly (or anywhere for that matter) can have that kind of money. I come from one of "those kinds of neighborhoods" too.
Scam??? A family member died. The word was out that he had a $150K insurance policy. Kidnapper wanted to hold someone, anyone for ransom. Unfortunately, the little girl was the family member that go nabbed. So who is the family scamming. Or who is scamming Who. What's going on with the little girl from OHio where the handyman is a suspect? We don't know. What happened to the little girl killed by the homeless kid who was drinking at the home? Just because the abductor may have a connection to the family does not mean its a scam.
