Mother of Samantha Runnion Issues
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THE AMBER NATIONALvolume 3, issue 2 June 2009MISSING CHILDREN’S DAY EDITION volume 3, issue 2 June 2009 MOTHER OF SAMANTHA RUNNION ISSUES CHALLENGE AT NATIONAL MISSING CHILDREN’S DAY CEREMONY The Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs honored law enforcement officers and citizens at the ceremony who showed a tremendous amount of courage to save missing children. Deputy Attor- ney General David W. Ogden pro- vided more tools for law enforce- ment by announcing that $50 million in Laurie O. Robinson, » Acting Assistant Attorney Gen- eral and National AMBER Alert Coor- dinator National Missing Children’s Day Ceremony, Washington, D.C. » Law enforcement did everything pro-active in their responsibility to Recovery Act they could to save her daughter’s protect children from sexual abuse funds would life, but it wasn’t enough, said Erin and abduction. go to the Runnion, an advocate for the pre- Internet Crimes vention of child sexual abuse and “It should not take a tragedy to Against Children abduction and the guest speaker at unite a community,” said Runnion. (ICAC) program. the National Missing Children’s Day “But it does take a community to Since ICAC started Ceremony in Washington, D.C. on keep our children safe.” in 1998 agents have May 21. handled more than Samantha’s death did prompt the 100,000 com- Samantha Runnion, a 6-year-old governor of California to imme- plaints of child child was brutally murdered July diately begin a statewide AMBER sexual victim- 15, 2002 after a man abducted Alert program. But Runnion said her ization. her from her front yard in Orange daughter’s death has not stopped County, Calif. However, her death the “pandemic” of missing kids. “These is not in vain, as Erin Runnion has perpetra- made it her life’s mission to en- “We need to give law enforcement tors violate sure Samantha’s tragic death is a the tools they need to bring these every notion catalyst for positive change. As the children home,” said Runnion. “I of decency founder and director of the Joyful want us to be prepared so we are we have,” said Child Foundation, Runnion is mo- not scared.” Ogden. tivating concerned citizens to be continued on page 7 Ed Smart & Erin Runnion » WHAT YOU’LL FIND INSIDE National Missing Children’s Day Ceremony .............. pg.1-3 Profile: Gary Kelly........................................... pg.4 On The Front Lines: South Carolina ...................... pg.5 AMBER in Indian Country ................................... pg.6 AMBER International ........................................ pg.8 NATIONAL MISSING CHILDREN’S DAY NURSE FOLLOWS HER INSTINCTS TO SAVE CHILD Her instincts told her some- Wyo. and a man came in mak- left in the suspect’s vehicle for a thing wasn’t quite right. ing strange requests and acting considerable time and it was only psychotically. 20 degrees outside. “The boy was After 25 years as a scared. He didn’t know what was critical care nurse, “I just knew something wasn’t going on,” said Mosbacher. Julie Mosbacher, the right,” said Mosbacher, who was recipient of the 2009 recognized May 21 by the Depart- Based on her “gut feeling” Mos- Missing Children’s ment of Justice at the National bacher called the police and Day Citizens Award Missing Children’s Day Ceremony learned that an 18-month-old said it takes a lot to in Washington, D.C. for her efforts child had been kidnapped after “rattle my cage.” in helping to recover the abduct- a double murder 60 miles away in ed child. Red Lodge, Mont. This held true in March 2007 when Mosbacher was The man eventually brought a “I’m just a nurse doing my job and working an early morning shift at baby boy into the hospital wearing following my instincts,” said Mos- the West Park Hospital in Cody, only a diaper. The boy had been bacher. DETECTIVE GOES UNDERCOVER TO STOP FATHERS FROM ABUSING CHILDREN What happens in Internet chat abusing children, including his own “The end result is the greatest re- rooms can sometimes leave the daughter. Waite also confided that ward - when you res- most hardened investigators cold. Dominic Pace, a New Hampshire cue a child,” said father, sent him videos of himself Spector. “You Detective Neal Spector, Florida’s having sex with his 4-year-old have to work as St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, daughter. Waite admitted he had a team to save received the 2009 Child Protection also sexually abused his daughter. a child.” 2 Award May 21 at the National Miss- He then sent the detective videos ing Children’s Day Ceremony in showing him having sex with an- Waite plead- Washington, D.C. for his undercov- other girl under the age of twelve. ed guilty and er efforts in helping to apprehend was sentenced child sex offenders. Spector was concerned that the to 20 years in child abuse was ongoing and Federal prison Spector posed online as a father worked with the Massachusetts and Pace was and began chatting with Lonnie State Police to arrange a time sentenced to 40 years Waite from Ashland, Mass. who when Waite would be online at in Federal prison. said he was interested in sexually home. AGENT RECOGNIZED FOR CREATING PROGRAM TO FIND CHILD PROSTITUTION VICTIMS A 15-year-old girl was being ad- tics and other key words listed in The FBI agents believed the girl vertised for prostitution on Craig- advertisements. The program also would have been moved from city slist. FBI agents in Washington, allows agents to be notified when to city and knew it would have D.C. knew that every second that an ad matches their case. Only been impossible to quickly analyze passed put the girl’s life at greater 19 hours after the software was up the erotic service advertisements risk for harm. and running a match was made listed on the website in more than on the 15-year-old girl. Agents 300 cities. FBI Special Agent Greg quickly set up an undercover op- Ryman, the recipient eration and safely recovered the “There are a lot of girls out there,” of the 2009 Missing victim. said Ryman. “The faster they can Children’s Day Law be found, the faster we can get Enforcement Award, “It’s humbling,” said Ryman of the them off that lifestyle, and the received the recog- award, which he received May 21 quicker they can be returned to a nition for his develop- at the National Missing Children’s normal functioning life.” ment of Childfinder, Day Ceremony in Washington, which is a program D.C. “I met a couple of the parents The Childfinder software is now be- that analyzes phone here today who lost children. They ing used by other offices and has numbers, nicknames, reminded me why we do what we already recovered four juvenile physical characteris- do.” victims. THE AMBER CEREMONY IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ICAC TEAM HONORED FOR STOPPING ABUSIVE SWIMMING COACH Florida’s swimming coach of the year had a secret. Robert Caragol was a well respected leader in the community but no one knew that he also collected child pornogra- phy or that he was sexually abus- ing some of his young swimmers. The South Florida ICAC Task Force received the 2009 Attorney Gener- al’s Special Commendation Award South Florida ICAC Task Force on May 21 at the National Missing Children’s Day Ceremony in Wash- to receive this award with agents ICE Agent Bentolila and Broward ington, D.C. for investigating and who I admire greatly.” County Sheriff’s Detective Jen- prosecuting the perpetrator who nifer Montgomery made the initial betrayed a community’s trust. The case was a team effort involv- contact with the suspect at his ing several federal and local law home in Plantation, Florida. Cara- “We were glad to take a child enforcement agencies and an gol eventually admitted to sharing predator out,” said FBI Special Internet company. “All the differ- hundreds of child pornography Agent Alexis Carpenteri. “Par- ent agencies came together with images and sexually abusing five ents trusted their children with him the same goal to accomplish the boys he met through coaching. because he was supposed to be same mission: protect children,” trusted.” said Immigrations and Customs “I’m glad this guy isn’t in a posi- Enforcement (ICE) Special Agent tion to hurt any more kids,” said “I’m happy to be able to protect Mike Bentolila. Montgomery. Ironically Caragol’s kids and I am honored to get this May 21 sentence hearing had to award,” added FBI Special Agent It began when America Online be postponed because everyone 3 Michael D. Levrock. Assistant U.S. sent a Cybertip to NCMEC that involved in the case was at the Attorney Brent Tantillo said he was Caragol might be sending child ceremony. humbled by the award. “It’s terrific pornography over the Internet. POSTER CONTEST WINNER HAS A HEART FOR MISSING CHILDREN Dakhota-Rae Brown found out their family,” Brown added. there was a Missing Children’s Day Brown attended the National Miss- Poster Contest the day before the ing Children’s Day Ceremony May poster was due. The fifth grader 21 with her family and her teacher. at Henderson Elementary in Chey- She is the tenth winner since the enne, Wyo. went immediately to poster contest was started. Before work. the ceremony Brown talked about the importance of the AMBER Alert “I made the poster that night,” said when children are abducted. Brown, the 2009 Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest winner. “I put “I think the AMBER Alert is a good ribbons with the names of missing idea,” said Brown.