Archive for the ‘supervision’ tag
TN AMBER Alert: Damien Duncan
Located safe on July 10, 2009
An East Tennessee AMBER Alert has been issued for an 11-year-old Seiverville boy. His parents told police the last time they saw their son, Damien Duncan, was when they left for work just before 8 a.m. on July 8, 2009. When they arrived back home from work that day at 4 p.m. Damien was gone.
I don’t think it is legal to leave a child home alone under the age of 12 years.
Well, apparently it is legal in Tennessee. According a quote on WikiAnswers from the Tennessee Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges:
“There is no legal age for children to stay at home alone. Parents are advised to use their best judgment, keeping the child’s maturity level and safety issues in mind. Younger children have a greater need for supervision and care than older children. Obviously, young children under age 10 should not be left without supervision at any time. In most cases, older teenage children may be left alone for short periods of time.”
I don’t know, for myself I would have a problem leaving my 11-year-old home alone for an extended period of time – such as a full workday.
Well, now the child is gone. If you have seen Damian, please contact the Sevier County Sheriff’s Department at 865-453-4668 or TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.
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AMBER Alert Subject: Damien Paul Duncan
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Damien is an 11-year-old white male with brown hair and blue eyes. He is 4FT tall and weighs 75LBS. When last seen Damien was wearing a green t-shirt with white stripes, red and white Nike tennis shoes, and a purple ball cap with an LSU logo on the front.
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July 10, 2009: 11:30 p.m. PST
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There is now clarification of where police found Damien. He was found in an unfinished home five miles from his home. He suffered some scratches, bruises and managed to find some poison ivy. Otherwise, I guess he is going to be OK. Once again, the only person talking to the media at any great length is Damian’s biological mother. She says she is grateful her son was found safe.
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July 10, 2009: 4:45 p.m. PST
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According Damian’s mother he has been found safe. Damian was in found in a creek and has been taken to Fort Sanders Sevier Medical Center. It is not clear if Damian is injured or if it is just routine to want to examine a child who has been missing.
I am glad I was wrong about Damian’s fate. I still feel his disappearance needs to be evaluated by the proper authorities.
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July 10, 2009: 3:30 p.m. PST
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The AMBER Alert remains active for Damien Duncan; however, police now believe that he probably ran away from home. There have been several people who have claimed seeing Damien in the immediate area even as late as this afternoon.
Damien lives with his father and stepmother. I have seen Damien’s biological mother on the news searching for her son. I have not seen his father or stepmother out searching nor have I read reference in the news media that they are out searching. I am not comfortable with this child’s “disappearance”. Damien was last seen according to his father when he and his wife left for work on the morning of July 8. The father explains that he did not bother calling police when he found Damien gone on the evening of July 8 because he thought his son was with his mother. Well, I suppose the smart thing to do at that point was to call his ex-wife and ask if the boy was with her. Apparently he did not do that and Damien’s disappearance was not reported until sometime July 9. Damien’s mother has been quoted in the media that she was told Damien was being punished and he ran away.
When Ricky Holland was reported missing from his home in Williamston, Michigan the parents said he ran away and had a history of doing so. Many of the town’s people searched for Ricky and several people claimed to have seen Ricky in the area. Almost a year later Ricky’s adoptive father, Tim Holland, led investigators to a swamp where he had dumped Ricky’s body. Tim and Lisa Holland were found guilty of Ricky’s murder. When they called police to report Ricky’s disappearance, Ricky’s body had already been dumped.
I hope Damien is in fact hiding somewhere, afraid to come home after causing such a ruckus in the town for running away. I have my doubts.
AMBER ALERT Issued for Missing Sevier County Boy, WLVT, Last Accessed: July 9, 2009.
AMBER ALERT: Search Continues for Boy Believed to Have Run Away, WLVT, Last Accessed: July 10, 2009.
AMBER ALERT CANCELLED: Sevier County Boy Found Safe, WLVT, Last Accessed July 10, 2009.
Sidney Mahkuk Deserved a Better Life
Sidney Mahkuk was just 11-years-old when she died in October 2005. Sometimes children die due to infections or cancer and it is very sad when that happens. It is tragic for the families of these children because death comes as a shock and were not preventable.
Sidney’s death was tragic because it was preventable. She died from a cocaine overdose. I sit here beginning this entry and think of my own granddaughter, she is going to be 12-years-old in a couple of months. I cannot picture her doing drugs or hanging out with friends on the streets. She is much protected; her mother knows what time she gets out of school and what time she should be walking in the door after she gets out of school. If she does not come in the door at the appointed time her mother is out the door looking for her. If my granddaughter is going to stay after school to help a teacher or stay later for tutoring she calls and asks for permission to do so and tells her mother what time she will be home. If my granddaughter is out of school because she is sick the school calls the home to alert the parents of her absence and she is required to bring a note from home documenting the absence. Read the rest of this entry »
