Law enforcement did everything they could to save her daughter's life, but it wasn't enough, said Erin Runnion, an advocate for the prevention of child sexual abuse and abduction and the guest speaker at the 2009 National Missing Children's Day Ceremony in Washington, D.C., on May 21.
Samantha Runnion, a 6-year-old child was brutally murdered July 15, 2002, after a man abducted her from her front yard in Orange County, California. However, her death is not in vain, as Erin Runnion has made it her life's mission to ensure Samantha's tragic death is a catalyst for positive change. As the founder and director of the Joyful Child Foundation, Runnion is motivating concerned citizens to be pro-active in their responsibility to protect children from sexual abuse and abduction.
“It should not take a tragedy to unite a community,” said Runnion. “But it does take a community to keep our children safe.”
Samantha's death did prompt the governor of California to immediately begin a statewide AMBER Alert program. But Runnion said her daughter's death has not stopped the “pandemic” of missing kids.
“We need to give law enforcement the tools they need to bring these children home,” said Runnion. “I want us to be prepared so we are not scared.”
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 Attorney General David W. Ogden provided more tools for law enforcement by announcing that $50 million in Recovery Act funds would go to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) program. Since ICAC started in 1998 agents have handled more than 100,000 complaints of child sexual victimization.
“These perpetrators violate every notion of decency we have,” said Ogden.
This year's ceremony also marked the 25th anniversary of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Ernie Allen, NCMEC President and CEO, said NCMEC has recovered more than 138,000 children during that time and the recovery rate has gone from 62 percent in 1990 to 96 percent today. But Allen noted that much of the change was due to personal tragedy.
“We have come light years,” said Allen. “America is better prepared and most of America's missing children are coming home. It has been a revolution that has taken place in our lifetime.”
Laurie O. Robinson, the Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs and the National AMBER Alert Coordinator, spoke at the ceremony about what motivated law enforcement and concerned citizens to get involved when a child goes missing.
“Out of compassion and concern each of these men and women worked quickly to remove a child from imminent danger,” said Robinson. “We know nothing, but your child's return will make things right again. But you should know that others care deeply about your child and are working hard to bring your children home.”
Deputy Attorney General David Ogden also thanked AMBER Alert partners for sharing in that compassion for missing children. “Our AMBER Alert partners continue to bring children home safely,” noted Ogden. “National Missing Children's Day is not just one day, the work must continue every day.”
“We can't fight this problem alone,” Robinson added. “All of you are partners. Every child who grows up safely is a tribute to you. Never give up.”
Nurse Follows Her Instincts to Save Child
Her instincts told her something wasn't quite right. After 25 years as a critical care nurse, Julie Mosbacher, the recipient of the 2009 Missing Children's Day Citizens Award said it takes a lot to “rattle my cage.”
This held true in March 2007 when Mosbacher was working an early morning shift at the West Park Hospital in Cody, Wyo. and a man came in making strange requests and acting psychotically.
“I just knew something wasn't right,” said Mosbacher, who was recognized May 21 by the Department of Justice at the National Missing Children's Day Ceremony in Washington, D.C., for her efforts in helping to recover the abducted child.
The man eventually brought a baby boy into the hospital wearing only a diaper. The boy had been left in the suspect's vehicle for a considerable time, and it was only 20 degrees outside. “The boy was scared. He didn't know what was going on,” said Mosbacher.
Based on her “gut feeling” Mosbacher called the police and learned that an 18-month-old child had been kidnapped after a double murder 60 miles away in Red Lodge, Montana.
“I'm just a nurse doing my job and following my instincts,” said Mosbacher.
Detective Goes Undercover to Stop Fathers from Abusing Children
What happens in internet chat rooms can sometimes leave the most hardened investigators cold.
Detective Neal Spector, with Florida's St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office, received the 2009 Child Protection Award May 21 at the National Missing Children's Day Ceremony in Washington, D.C., for his undercover efforts in helping to apprehend child sex offenders.
Spector posed online as a father and began chatting with Lonnie Waite from Ashland, Mass., who said he was interested in sexually abusing children, including his own daughter. Waite also confided that Dominic Pace, a New Hampshire father, sent him videos of himself having sex with his 4-year-old daughter. Waite admitted he had also sexually abused his daughter. He then sent the detective videos showing him having sex with another girl under the age of 12.
Spector was concerned that the child abuse was ongoing and worked with the Massachusetts State Police to arrange a time when Waite would be online at home.
“The end result is the greatest reward, when you rescue a child,” said Spector. “You have to work as a team to save a child.”
Waite pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison and Pace was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison.
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 pornography or that he was sexually abusing some of his young swimmers.
The South Florida ICAC Task Force received the 2009 Attorney General's Special Commendation Award on May 21 at the National Missing Children's Day Ceremony in Washington, D.C. for investigating and prosecuting the perpetrator who betrayed a community's trust.
“We were glad to take a child predator out,” said FBI Special Agent Alexis Carpenteri. “Parents trusted their children with him because he was supposed to be trusted.”
“I'm happy to be able to protect kids and I am honored to get this award,” added FBI Special Agent Michael D. Levrock. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Tantillo said he was humbled by the award. “It's terrific to receive this award with agents who I admire greatly.”
The case was a team effort involving several federal and local law enforcement agencies and an Internet company. “All the different agencies came together with the same goal to accomplish the same mission: protect children,” said Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Special Agent Mike Bentolila.
It began when America Online sent a Cybertip to NCMEC that Caragol might be sending child pornography over the Internet. ICE Agent Bentolila and Broward County Sheriff's Detective Jennifer Montgomery made the initial contact with the suspect at his home in Plantation, Florida. Caragol eventually admitted to sharing hundreds of child pornography images and sexually abusing five boys he met through coaching.
“I'm glad this guy isn't in a position to hurt any more kids,” said Montgomery. Ironically Caragol's May 21 sentence hearing had to be postponed because everyone involved in the case was at the ceremony.
Poster Contest Winner Has a Heart for Missing Children
Dakhota-Rae Brown found out there was a Missing Children's Day Poster Contest the day before the poster was due. The fifth grader at Henderson Elementary in Cheyenne, Wyo. went immediately to work.
“I made the poster that night,” said Brown, the 2009 Missing Children's Day Poster Contest winner. “I put ribbons with the names of missing children on it. There's a home with a heart to show we miss them.”
Brown said she was surprised when she found out her last minute entry was selected over posters from students in 43 states and the District of Columbia. She hopes her poster will make a difference.
“I hope people realize there are children missing and they want to come back to their home and see their family,” Brown added.
Brown attended the National Missing Children's Day Ceremony May 21 with her family and her teacher. She is the tenth winner since the poster contest was started. Before the ceremony Brown talked about the importance of the AMBER Alert when children are abducted.
“I think the AMBER Alert is a good idea,” said Brown. “We know there's someone out there looking for missing children.”