Anyone else think there is something weird - about the Shawn Hornbeck parents

Bamamom wrote: I mean if my son had been gone for 4 1/2 years and we were pretty sure that he had been sexually molested and perhaps tortured (at least mentally if not physically) I WOULD NOT have him on TV 3 times a day. Its like they are cashing in on getting their kid back. I'm happy for them and I'm glad he's home but let's give the kid some down time to adjust and get used to his life again.

Am I way off? What do you guys think?

CantWait replied: I don't think they are trying to cash in at all. I think people are truly interested in how he is and glad he's home that they want to speak with him.

siblingtooolivia replied: I personally think the whole situation is wierd....gone for 4 1/2 years and only 1 hour away and also the kid was outside alot, etc. etc. You mean NOONE ever saw the kid or put 2 and 2 together?????

Calimama replied:
It's a situation where we can only say, " IF that was my child.." we dont know until it happens to us, and I pray it never does.

BAC'sMom replied:

Amen sister

Crystalina replied: Well I know that whenever I see him on t.v. I am glued to the set. I'm a newsaholic anyway but I really commend Ben's parents for keeping him away from all of it. Shawn really isn't saying too much but and there really is no need to have a camera in his face every second of the day. Certain things cannot be talked about due to the upcoming trial and certain things cannot be talked about because Shawn is not ready to open up about them yet so why his parents can't be the spokesmen for him I don't know. I'm sure they can remember the details he gives them. They should go in front of the cameras without him IMO. The poor kid has been through enough.



Yes, he was recognized and asked by another young kid if he was Shawn Hornbeck and he said he was not and it was never brought up again.

I've found from listening to this story that kids are way more alert to things going on around them then adults are. We should really give our kids more credit (in general). If it weren't for a kid Ben would not have been found because the bus driver sure as heck didn't pay attention to that pickup truck parked sideways in the road. And also it was a kid who first confronted Shawn about his identity.

Kentuckychick replied:
I was watching his parents tonight and they said that they've now heard that several individuals had seen him over the years and "wondered" but no one ever did anything. It's like his stepfather said the day after he was found that the problem with our society today is that people are afraid to get involved. He said tonight that really, if someone had said something and had been wrong, would it really have been that big of a deal? No. But because no one said anything, there was no chance to find out that it was indeed their son. Also, who knows what sort of emotional and mental hold that man had on Shawn... clearly he'd threatened him with weapons before... I can imagine a 12 year old would be terrified to ever say who he really was.


As for the parents, I really don't think it's weird at all. If they were parents who had sat in their home for four years and wallowed in self pity while everyone around them did the work and all of a sudden they were showing themselves on tv for publicity I would feel differently, HOWEVER, they have been involved from day one. They've started a foundation and they are extremely public about safety of children and not giving up hope when children go missing (imagine if they'd given up hope...) So I don't think it's for money, or for personal publicity. I think that they know that their sons rescue is extraordinary and I think that they are using his rescue to give hope (false or not) to the many other parents who are in the same shoes they were just last week.

I've seen them on several interviews today and Shawn has not appeared on a single one. They aren't forcing him to say anything, but I'm sure they know that there are many people in the US worrying about him. They also know that if they didn't go ahead and get these interviews over with, they'd have to do them in the coming weeks. Right now, in the throws of joy over their sons homecoming may be the best thing for them. I'm sure all that happened to him in those 4 years hasn't even begun to set in yet.

But I honestly just think they're trying to get their message out... I've personally heard them talk more about the foundation and about other missing children than their son's case.

hawkshoe replied: I don't think it is at all weird. Honestly if the media would leave them alone you probably wouldn't see them on a single show. The best way to move on with their lives is to do a few interviews now and hope the american public gets their fill so they can put this all to rest and go about getting their family the help they really need to get through this tragedy.

Nina J replied: Did he have Stockholm syndrome?

I don't think his parents were trying to cash in. I don't know what I would've done if I were in that situation, but maybe Shawn wanted to go on television. But, on there website it said they are no longer doing interviews unless Shawn wants to.

DH think his mother looks like a crystal meth addict.

holley79 replied: I would hope to NEVER be put in that position. I'm glad he is home and safe. I do on the other hand believe that the cameras need to be put away for a bit and let the kid breath. I'm sure he's a little overwhelmed right now. I don't think they are trying to cash in I'm sure they are so dang happy to have him home they want to share the news with everyone and anyone.

boyohboyohboy replied: I do think there is something strange there, the interviews I saw with shawn and his parents, shawn appears scared to answer for fear he is saying the wrong thing, and that step father just seems a little over bearing....I think the mother seems weird too.
I agree its time to let them alone. I hope they get him some counceling, on oprah the mother said they had not looked into it yet, just talked to cws and was given some advice.....it didnt appear they were looking into counceling.

mckayleesmom replied: They probably just did the media interviews because it they didn't...they would get hounded until they did....This way they got it over with....Let it be known that they would not be discussing what their child went through until the child wanted to talk about it etc...

I think the reason Shawn seemed scared to say the wrong thing and looked to his stepdad alot is because they did mention that they were advised not to discuss certain things in the case...for legal reasons.

Bamamom replied: Sorry I started this and then abandoned it - busy weekend.

Anywho - I think you guys made some good points. I just think my instinct would be to nest with him and let him get used to us again without people around. I guess everyone just reacts differently.

Thanks for your input all