Slog - Comments on Boy Goes Missing After Deciding to Split Up With Dad�Wait, WHAT?

Comment by Fnarf

Fnarf — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:02:32 -0800

Callie called BS on this in the comments already. It really does sound suspicious. If it turns out Daddy isn't trying to relieve himself of his autistic burden, he's still guilty of stupendously bad parenting. I think it's worse than that, though.

Comment by Randy beavert

Randy beavert — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:02:52 -0800

WTF Dan? Are you seriopusly accying this guy of murdering his kid? Get a grip.

Hugely irresponsible. Go lick a pit bull

Comment by Fnarf

Fnarf — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:04:12 -0800

Never mind, he's been found: http://www.katu.com/news/26222779.html

Daddy's still a dumbass, though.

Comment by bluh?

bluh? — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:04:40 -0800

That was last night's news. This morning's news is that the boy was found, and is fine.

http://www.katu.com/news/26222779.html

Comment by m

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:05:20 -0800

http://www.komonews.com/news/26222779.html

Comment by Nate

Nate — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:05:30 -0800

It's entirely possible for an 11yr old to go hiking in any kind of backcountry himself. I did it, almost every single weekend. On the other hand, whether or not the father intended the kid to get lost, he sure as hell is responsible and guilty of criminal negligence. Autistic? C'mon, people... This is why you should need licenses to breed.

Comment by Cattymaran

Cattymaran — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:06:47 -0800

There's all kinds of autistic. And I'm sure the media BLOWS it way up, too... I knew a HIGHLY intelligent autistic boy, that the only thing that was different about him was he never looked you in the eyes... Other than that- you'd never know.

Comment by Reverse Polarity

Reverse Polarity — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:14:34 -0800

Jump to conclusions much?

There is a huge range in what defines "autistic". Some are profoundly dysfunctional. Some you'd hardly know unless someone told you. We don't know how it manifests in this boy. It may have no effect whatsoever on his ability to hike around in the woods, any more so than any other 11 year old.

A mistake? Sure. But it is a huge leap to be accusing of gross negligence or attempting to off his troubled kid.

Comment by Chitty chitty Bang bang

Chitty chitty Bang bang — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:17:07 -0800

Shouldn't the kid have been on a leash or something?

Comment by Charles_Mudede_Is_A_Latent_Racist

Charles_Mudede_Is_A_Latent_Racist — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:20:56 -0800

Hey, Dan, won't Charles get angry at you for stepping on his turf of baseless accusations?

Comment by Julie

Julie — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:33:58 -0800

I'm sorry, but even with a non-autistic 11-year old child, splitting up while hiking in an area that is not heavily trafficked is a stupid idea. Even if he's a very experienced 11-year old hiker. At a minimum, why would you do that without some method of keeping in contact (e.g., cell that you knew worked in the area)?

Now, I think jumping to conclusions about whether the dad "intentionally" lost the son is a little much. But, at the very least, this guy needs a common sense re-alignment.

Comment by Greg

Greg — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:56:50 -0800

Even for adults, splitting up in the backcountry is a really, really stupid thing to do.

Comment by Sarah

Sarah — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:03:06 -0800

I'm sorry, I'm distracted by the story's quotes from a witness named Kayla Al-Khaledy. Try to say THAT three times fast.

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:25:43 -0800

When I was 11, sometimes I'd take a different route from my family or stepfather and they might not see me for days.

God, you nanny state plastic bag tax people are so fearful ...

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:29:41 -0800

(sorry, should have said this was in the Rocky Mountains, where the nearest town was sometimes 25 miles away over mountain passes)

Comment by Emily

Emily — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:37:08 -0800

And Dad was arrested for having the sense of a rock?

@11 has it. It doesn't matter whether the kid has an IQ of 500, you do not decide to leave your child to hike alone.

Comment by Vince

Vince — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:44:10 -0800

Are you sure it wasn't dad who's autistic?

Comment by Julie

Julie — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:31:05 -0800

@6 and 14... Just because you did it and it turned out okay doesn't mean it's not a stupid decision. I've made plenty of stupid decisions while hiking and am still here, but that doesn't lessen the stupidity.

Best case scenario, the kid was highly functional in terms of his autism, very mature for 11, and a very experienced hiker. Even under those conditions, if you think your kid can handle it, to send him off without a communication method (and, by the way, apparently without being fully-prepared, gear-wise), you're a moron.

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:34:44 -0800

Like I said, you city folk and your ideas of "what's appropriate".

I used to swim across a fricking glacial lake for fun and head off with my younger brother to explore ghost towns that were 10 miles away up in the mountains. No cell, just a rough description of what we were doing.

Wusses.

Comment by jim bexley-speed

jim bexley-speed — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:38:25 -0800

all parties in this story deserve neutering.

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:48:47 -0800

And, as an aside, autism is probably semi-selected due to people with similar outlooks on life choosing mates with similar attitudes (e.g. non-passionate, focussed, driven, etc).

Want to avoid autistic kids? Marry someone with mood swings who has fun at the parties when you sit there not getting why people go to parties.

(practical advice, actually, but don't blame me if you split up because you're too "different")

Comment by Sean

Sean — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:49:00 -0800

@19: Not impressed. The Rocky Mountains are for wusses. Please, show us how tough you are by spending a couple of rainy nights wandering the Cascades with nothing but shorts and a T-shirt.

Comment by Julie

Julie — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:59:05 -0800

Those swims in glacial lakes don't seem to have affected your mental capacity at all, Will. Nope. You and your awesomely hilarious theories about autism are doing just fine.

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:36:36 -0800

@22 been there done that. Try six weeks wearing nothing but a green beret and a thin army uniform while it rains in the Chilcotins. And what do you think I wore when I was a kid in summer in the Rockies - a frickin suit? try shorts and a t-shirt.

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:38:07 -0800

(and they're not my thoughts on autism, you even heard a layman's version this morning on KUOW at 9 am ... and various other media (TV,newspapers) this past weekend)

Comment by Callie

Callie — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:21:39 -0800

@1 Thanks Fnarf. I'm super glad they found this kid, because my immediate thought was "this was not an accident."

I mean - to everyone who is acting like it was a ridiculous assumption - really?!? Considering all of the fucked up stuff that happends on a daily basis (hello random Canadian bus beheading anyone?), REALLY?!?

Comment by Fnarf

Fnarf — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:22:11 -0800

@14, I think it's safe to assume that your folks WERE trying to lose you. I know I would if you were mine.

Comment by Missy Miss

Missy Miss — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:51:03 -0800

I love Will in Seattle's dicksizing over how tough he was when he was a kid.

"We walked through boiling hot springs! Naked! On our hands!"

Comment by julie

julie — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:09:30 -0800

Love how he slipped in that "green beret", too. You know, come to think of it, I wore a green beret in Girl Scouts...