too late for them to give him back, if he was still alive, that it was never too late to do that, even if they were scared of what the consequences might be. We wanted to present a friendly face. At that stage it obviously wasn’t clear whether it was an abduction or a murder.
FM: So you scripted something for Rachel to read out that would cover all bases?
JC: Yes. That was the idea anyway.
FM: How did you know you could rely on her to get the tone right?
JC: I didn’t know.
FM: Did you consider getting his father to do it?
JC: We considered it, but there was something about him that we weren’t sure would look good on camera. He was a surgeon, he was used to being authoritative. We were concerned that he might appear arrogant. What you want is a mother, a mother’s warmth.
FM: And you were confident in advance that she could deliver that?
JC: We didn’t have time to delve into her psyche. She was his mother. We assumed that she would, because at that stage we had no reason not to.
DAY 3
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012
Be aware of your public status. Although this might not be the kind of fame you want, you may attain some sort of “celebrity” standing because of your continuous involvement with the media… Therefore, for your child’s sake, conduct yourself as if all eyes were upon you… Don’t do things that might cast you in a negative light…
—“When Your Child Is Missing: A Family
Survival Guide,” Missing Kids USA Parental Guide ,
US Department of Justice, OJJDP Report
WEB PAGE —www.twentyfour7news.co.uk/bristol—6:18 AM BST Oct 23, 2012
Fears are building for the safety of Benedict Finch, eight years old, who went missing in Leigh Woods near Bristol on Sunday afternoon.
by Danny Deal
Detective Chief Inspector Corinne Fraser last night said that police are “deeply concerned’ for the safety of the missing boy. “You’ve seen the weather we’ve been having,” she said. “Cold, rain, you don’t want a small child to be out in that.
“It is possible that Benedict has been the subject of a criminal act,” she added, but stressed that all lines of inquiry remain open. “At present, nobody is detained, nobody is a suspect.”
Members of the public are being urged to phone in with any information that might relate to Benedict. “We would urge people to come forward if they think they might have any information that could help us find this little boy.”
DCI Fraser revealed that they had already received 130 calls to a hotline dedicated to the boy’s disappearance.
“I would like to give our sincere thanks to the public for their support in the search for Ben,” she said, and urged people to report to Abbots Leigh village hall, where a volunteer center has been set up to coordinate search efforts.
Anyone with information can call the missing hotline number 0300 300 3331.
5 people are discussing this article
Donald McKeogh
We should keep this little boy in our hearts. Newspapers have offered a £25,000 reward. Good on them. Hope he’s home safe soon.
Jane Evans-Brown
Where’s his dad in all this?
Jamie Frick
Something strange about this. How does a kid get lost in the woods? Why wasn’t mum looking out for him?
Catherine Alexander
Seems odd. Perhaps the police are not telling everything.
Susan Franks
The police are only releasing what they need to. Let them get on with their jobs and pray for this little boy and his poor family… hope he is found safe and well…
RACHEL
In the car on the way to Kenneth Steele House, gobbets of sound blurted out of the police radio on the dashboard, and the stop-and-start motions of the commuter traffic made the ride uncomfortable and slow. Nicky had put on makeup and a perfume that was sickly. I wound down the window a little to dilute the smell, but the air I let in was dirty and damply cold.
Nicky and Laura had persuaded me to wear a skirt, boots, and shirt, so that I would appear presentable. They hadn’t been able to do
FM: So you scripted something for Rachel to read out that would cover all bases?
JC: Yes. That was the idea anyway.
FM: How did you know you could rely on her to get the tone right?
JC: I didn’t know.
FM: Did you consider getting his father to do it?
JC: We considered it, but there was something about him that we weren’t sure would look good on camera. He was a surgeon, he was used to being authoritative. We were concerned that he might appear arrogant. What you want is a mother, a mother’s warmth.
FM: And you were confident in advance that she could deliver that?
JC: We didn’t have time to delve into her psyche. She was his mother. We assumed that she would, because at that stage we had no reason not to.
DAY 3
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012
Be aware of your public status. Although this might not be the kind of fame you want, you may attain some sort of “celebrity” standing because of your continuous involvement with the media… Therefore, for your child’s sake, conduct yourself as if all eyes were upon you… Don’t do things that might cast you in a negative light…
—“When Your Child Is Missing: A Family
Survival Guide,” Missing Kids USA Parental Guide ,
US Department of Justice, OJJDP Report
WEB PAGE —www.twentyfour7news.co.uk/bristol—6:18 AM BST Oct 23, 2012
Fears are building for the safety of Benedict Finch, eight years old, who went missing in Leigh Woods near Bristol on Sunday afternoon.
by Danny Deal
Detective Chief Inspector Corinne Fraser last night said that police are “deeply concerned’ for the safety of the missing boy. “You’ve seen the weather we’ve been having,” she said. “Cold, rain, you don’t want a small child to be out in that.
“It is possible that Benedict has been the subject of a criminal act,” she added, but stressed that all lines of inquiry remain open. “At present, nobody is detained, nobody is a suspect.”
Members of the public are being urged to phone in with any information that might relate to Benedict. “We would urge people to come forward if they think they might have any information that could help us find this little boy.”
DCI Fraser revealed that they had already received 130 calls to a hotline dedicated to the boy’s disappearance.
“I would like to give our sincere thanks to the public for their support in the search for Ben,” she said, and urged people to report to Abbots Leigh village hall, where a volunteer center has been set up to coordinate search efforts.
Anyone with information can call the missing hotline number 0300 300 3331.
5 people are discussing this article
Donald McKeogh
We should keep this little boy in our hearts. Newspapers have offered a £25,000 reward. Good on them. Hope he’s home safe soon.
Jane Evans-Brown
Where’s his dad in all this?
Jamie Frick
Something strange about this. How does a kid get lost in the woods? Why wasn’t mum looking out for him?
Catherine Alexander
Seems odd. Perhaps the police are not telling everything.
Susan Franks
The police are only releasing what they need to. Let them get on with their jobs and pray for this little boy and his poor family… hope he is found safe and well…
RACHEL
In the car on the way to Kenneth Steele House, gobbets of sound blurted out of the police radio on the dashboard, and the stop-and-start motions of the commuter traffic made the ride uncomfortable and slow. Nicky had put on makeup and a perfume that was sickly. I wound down the window a little to dilute the smell, but the air I let in was dirty and damply cold.
Nicky and Laura had persuaded me to wear a skirt, boots, and shirt, so that I would appear presentable. They hadn’t been able to do
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