The Face of a Child

Have you looked into the face of a child? The tragic occurrence surrounding little Shasta Groene and her family is indescribable! What this child may have witnessed is not something any one and most assuredly a child of any age should have to witness. This is not so much an article about what occurred but about what DIDN'T occur. Shasta and registered sex offender in two states. Joseph Duncan enters a gas station convenient store along with 5 other people. Apparently, there is such a mental and emotional grip on 8 year old Shasta Groene that she is released to freely walk about the store as alleged kidnapper Duncan calmly reads a paper. It appears she was instructed before hand, not to speak or draw attention to herself. At one point she even drastically avoids bumping into an female shopper. As she appears to look into the faces of other customers with folded arms she seem to scream out for HELP, in hope that someone will recognize her. Sadly she goes unnoticed by everyone and all of her hopes are dashed as she and Duncan quietly leave the store and Shasta walks towards the Jeep Cherokee, opens the door and climbs into the passenger seat with no visible instructions from Duncan her alleged kidnapper. I am not looking to bring guilt upon the patrons or the employees who were in the store that Friday, for I must shamefully admit that I, myself likely would not have noticed Shasta's silent cries as well. So busy are we with our lives and problems that we can not recognizes the silent cry of an 8 year old child! Again I ask... Have you looked into the face of a child? Kootenai County District Court Judge Wayman set a $2 million bail bond on fugitive charge, and no bail for kidnapping charges. Public defender Lynn Nelson filed a bail reduction request that will be heard on July 19th, 2005. Magistrate Benjamin Simpson will hear the reduction plea also at which time Duncan is expected to enter a plea of the charges filed against him. Idaho, Kootenai County Tel: (208) 446-1000 Email: kkcinfo@kcgov.us County's Mailing Address: P.O. Box 9000 Coeur d'Alene, ID 83816-9000 This article is written in hopes that we all will become more aware of our surroundings. In hopes that Web Masters across America and Canada will place on their site the Code Amber Alert Ticker! In 1993, Amber Hagerman of Arlington, Texas, at just 9 years old, was kidnapped and murdered. She was simply doing what millions of kids do everyday... riding her bicycle. Code Amber became effective "In April, 2003, President Bush signed the Amber Alert legislation making it a national program. While the Amber Alert system is now mandated across the country, some states are still trying to implement the procedures necessary in bringing the alerts to the public." I urge you to contact your local and state officials to confirm that your state is in compliance with this much needed requirement! If they aren't, I also ask that you RESPECTFULLY demand that they do so IMMEDIATELY, not only for YOUR child's sake, but for the safety of children across America and Canada. To place the Amber Alert Ticker on your website go to: http://www.codeamber.org/ A monetary donation can also be made to help advance the Amber Alert System. Click the donation button on the website. In memory Brenda Groene, 40, Mark McKenzie, 37, Shasta*s brothers, Slade Groene 13, and Dylan Groene 9 who was later found murdered as well. My condolences goes out to Shasta The Family of Brenda Groene. The Family of Mark McKenzie To Shasta*s Father Steve Groene. Shasta's Maternal Family Members "She's a real strong little girl," her grandmother, Darlene Marie Torres declares. Jacqueline Ennis is the Publisher of Body By Baby E-Zine a copy of this article will appear in the July 15th, isuue. NOTE: You're welcome to "reprint" this article online or in physical print as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the resource box at the end), and you send me a copy or link to your reprint at bodybybaby@gmail.com If this article helped you to decide to add the Amber Alert Ticker to your website. http://www.codeamber.org/ I would like to know for this is one of the reason this article was written. Thank you, Jacqueline bodybybaby@gmail.com http://www.bodybybaby.NET