It was 25 years ago today that Adam Walsh was abducted and killed in Florida. In hindsight, the Hollywood, FL police botched the investigation in a major way; they let crucial evidence disappear that could have conceivably led to a conviction. Adam's body was found, in a condition few people would ever want to see their children in, 2 weeks later. Petty Hollywood area thief and known pedophile Ottis Toole was eventually brought into custody and initially confessed to doing it but later recanted and died in prison with ever being charged. Not all that unexpectedly, John Walsh has said in later-year interviews that he almost went off the deep end in the months following the tragedy (letting on that at one point he was thinking of creative ways of committing suicide that would look accidental--a hang gliding accident for example), but a fateful conversation with a friend convinced him he could make something positive out of the tragedy. That led to the statement before Congress for the rights of endangered children, the passages of numerous laws (including one just signed today) and the start of America's Most Wanted in 1988 which to date has landed 897 thugs behind bars and counting (Walsh also says that if he had his way, he'd only go after the child abusers, but then, he admits, the show would be pretty much unwatchable).
Does anyone have memories of Adam's plight?
Posted by mamamiasweetpeaches (Member # 1715) on :
I remember, not long ago, reading a TV GUIDE interview with John Wlash and CRYING. It's so beautiful that a man can take a tragedy like that and DO something about it/
I remember seeing the TV movie about ADAM as a kid and not getting to watch it (late at night, I guess?) I just think that the world has changed so much since we were kids. We used to walk down "the block" (three blocks) to the deli to buy candy. My daughter is always pestering me to let her ":walk the dog around the block". I wont do it. I doubt I will let her walk alone til she's a teenager.
Posted by pettyfan (Member # 2260) on :
A lot of people, if they suffered a tragedy like this, wouldn't try to do anything about it. So I agree with mamamiasweetpeaches...it's great that John Walsh did something about it. I don't really remember when this happened; the first time I remember hearing anything was when America's Most Wanted came on TV, and hearing about it then. AMW has caught a lot of criminals in the past; I hope they continue to do so.
Posted by eightieschick (Member # 4385) on :
What really angered me was how they tried to blame the parents first, without even starting an investigation. If they had started off on the right foot, they may have captured Otis Toole right away. I don't blame John WAlsh for feeling the way that he did at the time. It's bad enough to have to lose a child or loved one, but then to have the police blame you and not even bother with an investigation, that is just a crime in itself. If that happened in this day and age, the police dept. and any officers involved would be sued in civil court for negligence.
Posted by Jessie the Sunflower Goddess (Member # 1877) on :
Talk about a dedicated parent. He has literally devoted his entire life to trying to make sure that things that happened to Adam don't happen to other children. It is unfortunate that we have so many sickos in the world that prey upon children. I know that when we see punishments that seem extremely inhumane in other countries we are appalled. However, some of those punishments would be fitting for child molesters because children are completely defenseless and cannot fight for themselves. I personally don't remember any of the Adam story when it was going on because I was only 7 at the time. I have heard bits and pieces of it over the years and admire John Walsh for his dedication in preserving the memory of his son, ADAM.
