Missing Boy: Why Did Not One Approach Him?

[March-Hare]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-25772465

The article states several members of the public saw the boy alone!! He is THREE!! Why did no one approach him??

[pixie373]

In case they were accused of abduction, i suspect. It wouldn't stop me though. I'd be on the phone to the police by the time I'd caught up with him.

[sherrardk]

On their way to work, lots of people milling about, maybe they didn't realise he was on his own until they saw it on the news?

[EDDIE51]

No certainty that the sighting was the boy in question. plus the boy sighted was wearing a cap, the missing boy does not like wearing a cap and no cap was missing from the house. Almost certainly someone else.
Even talking to a child alone now is likely to result in you being accused of being a paedophile .

[VHG]

It seems pretty obvious this child was abducted rather the going out on his own. Very unlikely a 3 year old would get dressed and go out in the middle of the night.

So I think all these people out looking down drains or whatever are wasting their time.

I bet this turns out to be a family dispute and we find a family member has abducted the child.

[silliemillie]

I wouldn't think twice about approaching a 3 year old I thought was alone, wouldn't even cross my mind I might be accused of something sinister.

[Hopkirk]

I agree with VHG

[CokeTulip]

I would approach a very small child if I saw them on their own - I would check for a parent or other first.

Sometimes people will not act in a busy setting because they assume someone else will and if uncertain there is a need in the first place. If you fell on the street you have a greater chance of a single person out on their own helping you than if a few people going about their business.

It is all very strange - I dont know what to think on this one. I hope something isn't being covered up.

As they are searching the area I'm wondering if the cops think there is a possibility he did get out on his own. Do we know if the parents were in the house all the time in the time he could have disappeared.

Parents would know if the child was particularly interested in trying to get to locks and look at ways to get out and on guard- I think it just wouldnt happen once - the child would have been making attempts (imo).It seems unlikely in a child so young but you do come across children that surprise you from time to time. 3 though - I do know.

I hope no harm has come to him. The last time they saw him was when he was put to bed.

[silliemillie]

The Mother said he was not there when she got up so it must have been quite early in the day (assuming she is not a lie a bed)

[Cloverjo]

Perhaps people were scared of approaching him. My OH was threatened by a small boy's father when he tried to take the boy to where he thought the parents might be when he saw him walking alone.
Personally, I would have asked the boy where his mum was and was he ok, but I am a woman. Maybe harder for men? I don't know. It's awful if we're so scared of potential paedophiles that we don't look after children in real danger.

[SpikeyBush]

I know this is a terrible suggestion but is it not beyond the realms of possibility that the mother killed her son, hid the body and made up this story to cover her tracks? Just playing devil's advocate.

[Cloverjo]

I don't think she killed him, but listening to the news, it seems there are things they can't tell us. I think there is more to this than a child going missing.

[Cloverjo]

How would she hide the body when everyone in the area is looking for him?

[SpikeyBush]

Didn't that happen last year to the 13 year old girl who was killed by her grandmother's boyfriend? Body found in the loft?

[Cloverjo]

Hmm, yes. Why would she have killed him though?
I was wondering why the twin sister he usually shared the bedroom with wasn't in there that night.

[ummmm]

Shannon Matthews and Tia Sharp.

[Cloverjo]

Oh no. So sad.

[pixie373]

Oh, god:-(