Thursday, June 30, 2011

Interesting Post on the Oakland County Child Killings

http://www.truecrimediary.com/index.cfm?page=cases&id=132

Most true crime buffs will have heard of this one.

6 comments:

mrs.missalaineus said...

i moved to michigan right after all this happened. a girl in one of my classes freshman year of hs had played with timmy king when she was little. i remember my grandma would take me to the mall and scare me so bad about the murders that i wouldn't let go of her hand until we got in the station wagon.

it's so sad it took a random meeting and a breech of confidentiality for these families to have any closure.

it's even sadder that hundreds of non-white kids disappear all the time and we never hear boo about it.

xxalainaxx

Big Mark 243 said...

It's only when I encounter people from Detroit of a certain age --- especially those who, like the victims, were 10 or 11 years old in 1976-1977 --- that there's a look of pained recognition, a somber pall at the memory of a boogeyman come to life.

... and yes, I fit this broad description. Not only that, I would recklessly ride from my Oakland County-adjacent neighborhoods, the 48235 and the -219 into the very areas where these children were taken. I would have no issues taking you directly to any of these places and considering my disability, that goes to show how ingrained those places are in my mind... and how ingrained this case is as well.

At the time, Detroit was so polarized that many in the Motor thought it was a 'white problem'. My Mom couldn't think that way as hockey and other ice sports had me familiar with the OC and I would 'lose myself' riding my Schwinn. Mind you, this was well before cell phones or even beepers. I have always been a wandering child and though no one snatched little black boys serially (this was prior to Atlanta's tragedy), I am sure that my Mother had to worry... I do remember her trying to keep me from going off on my bike rides on the weekend (I am thinking this stuff went down in the fall/winter... whenever, it was cold out) but I would manage a way around her and off I went...

No, this case never has never seemed to catch the national attention that others did at the time, much less in comparison to today's endless and breathless news cycle. I am glad to have caught this... it still has gone through my mind as I revisit the 'near misses' of the great tragedies that I have not had happen in my life.

Reading the article I felt like a shadow was lifted from my soul. I remember the Oakland County cases... I remember them... and what it was like back then.

Sarcastic Bastard said...

Mrs. Miss A. & Big Mark,
I am very touched to read your personal memories of that time. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and memories with us.

I love you two.

SB

Petit fleur said...

Kiddie pervs are the only people I just can't forgive. Even if there is likely a very logical reason for their twisted dark hearted activities. I just can't.

Interesting connections in this story though. I amazed it ever came out at all.

Parabolic Muse said...

I love it that you posted this. I'm so excited to read it.

Is that wrong?

Parabolic Muse said...

I love it that you posted this. I'm so excited to read it.

Is that wrong?