Hannah Anderson Kidnapping.

[Rageaholic]

I'm sure a lot of people have heard of the latest kidnapping. Psycho kills mother and brother, kidnaps girl, and is killed in a shootout with FBI days later (girl's safe).

What's interesting is that people are acting as if this girl was somehow involved. The top rated comments on youtube videos are those saying that she's a sociopath.

This girl is like Casey Anthony - a sociopath...cold, unfeeling, inappropriate emotions, attention craving, etc. this story will be a Lifetime movie for sure.

Now I know there are some strange details about this case (the letters), but I think saying she was complicit is taking things into crazy land. Of course, I haven't really been following this much so I might be missing something, but I think it's disturbing that the first reaction people have to a kidnapping is to blame the victim.

[Andara Bledin]

Of course, I haven't really been following this much so I might be missing something, but I think it's disturbing that the first reaction people have to a kidnapping is to blame the victim.

The sheriff has gone on record to day that she isn't complicit in any part of what happened to her, so I don't think you're missing a thing.

However, some people have to blame the victim. These people are generally lacking in control of their own lives and fear the sheer randomness of how things can happen, so they have to blame the victim to reassure themselves that something like that would never happen to them. And if they can't do that, they wouldn't be able to function because admitting that it absolutely could happen to them would be too scary for them to handle and go on with anything resembling a normal life.

That isn't to say that victim blaming in any situation should be allowed or condoned, however. The people who engage in such need counseling lest their ignorance and fear cause them or someone close to them to come to harm.

[Gravekeeper]

I was wondering when this would pop up as a thread. While I'm not blaming the victim by any means, there's definitely something more to this story. They're requesting DNA samples from her now ( and from her brother ) to see if the kidnapper was actually her father or the boy's father. As the kidnapper apparently left his life insurance policy to Hannah and her grandmother as the beneficiaries. But specifically states not to either parent as he did not trust them.

While I don't think the girl was part of any of it ( or if she was in any way, it was not intentional ), there's something weird about the case still. Not with Hannah exactly, but definitely with the kidnapper and the parents.

[Nekojin]

While I don't think the girl was part of any of it ( or if she was in any way, it was not intentional ), there's something weird about the case still. Not with Hannah exactly, but definitely with the kidnapper and the parents.

That was my impression. Something more is going on here, something that the general public hasn't been told (perhaps because it's still unknown to more than a very few people).

[Hyena Dandy]

I like that the person in this article seems equally upset about someone victim-blaming AND misunderstanding Nabokov.

[Aethian]

I'm wondering if the guy was a god parent and that's why the life insurance reads like that.

[Greenday]

I definitely feel like there's more to the story than what's being told to the public. The whole thing just doesn't feel right to me. I can't pin it down, but when I first started reading the story, it just didn't sit right.

[Andara Bledin]

I'm wondering if the guy was a god parent and that's why the life insurance reads like that.

His sister was the beneficiary until 2011. I'd be curious to know what happened 2 years ago that caused him to change it.

And while it is apparently clear that her mother was murdered, the story about her brother is much less obvious.

The kidnapping and arson were apparently planned out well ahead of time, with the arson set to happen on a timer, giving him nearly a full day's head start before authorities were aware that something had happened. And some reports mention torture.

[Jester]

While I'm not blaming the victim by any means, there's definitely something more to this story. They're requesting DNA samples from her now ( and from her brother ) to see if the kidnapper was actually her father or the boy's father.

While there may well be more to this story than what we know--well hell, OF COURSE there is more to this story than what we know, whether or not Hannah was the pure victim as the media has played it, or if it's all the way on the other end and she was somehow complicit. Personally I don't believe the latter, but I do know that anything is possible. And naturally there are tons of details about the whole thing that have not been made public by the authorities or Hannah's family. That doesn't mean there is something more SINISTER about the story, of course. Just something more. As there always is in these cases.

Anyway, getting back to my point, no matter what else there may be to this story, you are missing a couple of facts about the DNA. When you say "they" requested it, it was not the authorities, but the kidnapper's family, who is making such suggestions about paternity. The problem with that theory is twofold: First, the kidnapper did not meet the Andersons until Hannah's mother was six months pregnant with Hannah. As for the brother, the authorities used Mr. Anderson's DNA to identify the boy's remains. These facts kind of shoot that whole theory right out of the water.

[Gravekeeper]

The problem with that theory is twofold: First, the kidnapper did not meet the Andersons until Hannah's mother was six months pregnant with Hannah. As for the brother, the authorities used Mr. Anderson's DNA to identify the boy's remains. These facts kind of shoot that whole theory right out of the water.

Says the husband. In reality the two people that would know best are dead. It does seem like a distant possibility granted. But the mother had a DNA swab kit in her car at the scene and there were rumours to that effect among the family before this happened. Also, Hannah's parents were having martial problems as well. Why would the mother have a DNA swab kit?

So on one side you have the kidnapper's family who was aware of the rumours and is now wondering whats up with the life insurance policy and on the other you have a the husband denying everything ( who would anyway even if there was an affair ). Meanwhile, the two people that would really know about any possible affair that occurred are already dead.

Still, that aside, there has to be something else to this. As he apparently tortured and killed the mother. Which makes it seems like there's much more to this than just wanting to kidnap Hannah. If he had only wanted Hannah he could have grabbed her and been gone or disappeared with her during one of the trips she was allowed to take alone with him. Which would give him a much greater head start on authorities.

So where's the insane hostility towards her mother coming from?

It really doesn't make sense with what information has been released so far.

Never mind all the weird stuff with the letters, the phone calls, Facebook posts, etc.

[Jester]

You can argue that the timing of the mother's pregnancy with Hannah was fudged by the father. But it seems rather unlikely that, with such a high profile case, the father would lie about the authorities using his DNA to identify the son's remains, don't you think?

Now, speaking of logic, you state that the kidnapper could have kidnapped Hannah without torturing and killing the mother, but because he did, there must be something more to this.

The problem with your line of thought is that, while you and I are both logical people, you are trying to ascribe logic to a guy who tortured someone, killed her, killed her son, set the house with the two bodies in it on fire, using a timer no less (indicating premeditation and planning), then kidnapped a teenager and fled thousands of miles with her. Please, explain what logic there may be there? Because I don't see it.

Don't get me wrong...sociopaths do have their own logic. But it is not a logic people of normal temperament, like you and I, are ever likely to fully understand.

Could there be more to this? Sure. There could always be more. But just because the current resolution "doesn't feel right" to you doesn't mean it is, in fact, incorrect.

[Gravekeeper]

You can argue that the timing of the mother's pregnancy with Hannah was fudged by the father. But it seems rather unlikely that, with such a high profile case, the father would like about the authorities using his DNA to identify the son's remains, don't you think?

I don't think the paternity of the younger brother would be a problem in this mess. Also, again, why did the mother bring a DNA swab kit to visit the kidnapper? The mere presence of said kit says that at least one party was suspicious of something.

Please, explain what logic there may be there? Because I don't see it.

Even a psychopath needs something to set them off though. Especially if he's been perfectly fine and best friends with the family for over 16 years. I've been digging and I haven't found an article yet that pointed to any history of psychological problems or violence or anything with this guy. So went made him fly off the edge? Did he find out Hannah was his daughter? Did he find out Hannah was NOT his daughter? Did he flip his shit because the mother suggested Hannah might be his daughter and that conflicted with his creepy fantasies?

The police have also not disclosed what they meant but torture, the media has just been running with the word. So we don't know to what extent or severity torture occurred and there seems to be mixed reports on whether he tortured just mom or mom and the brother. So its hard to judge if he was in crime of passion / rage or if he was in full on sociopath mode.

The latter doesn't seem likely as Hannah was in the house at the same time these two were killed. It was Hannah that revealed the fire was "rigged" to go off after they had left. Hannah also said that the kidnapper tied her mom and brother up and left them in the garage. But was unaware of their death. So what happened after that point? The bodies were not gagged, but Hannah didn't say anything about hearing screams and being unaware of their death the kidnapper could not have spent a lot of time in the home to make Hannah suspect.

Could there be more to this? Sure. There could always be more. But just because the current resolution "doesn't feel right" to you doesn't mean it is, in fact, incorrect.

But I never said I had any problem with the resolution. -.-

My problem is with the motivation. It doesn't seem sufficient to fit the crime in question given the players and there are a lot of holes in the information the police have released thus far. Given all the odd extra factors such as recovered items of evidence ( like the DNA kit ) and the time line of events, it suggests a bigger picture.

I'm sure the picture is clear to the police, but they're holding the cards close to their chest on this one so far.

[AccountingDrone]

I agree, there is something seriously odd about the mother having a DNA test kit. I doubt it was because she had a burning desire to find out which rare european genotype the kid had, and how much Neanderthal genome she had in her.

I just find the whole thing very Starkwetheresque.

[Jester]

I don't think the paternity of the younger brother would be a problem in this mess. Also, again, why did the mother bring a DNA swab kit to visit the kidnapper? The mere presence of said kit says that at least one party was suspicious of something.

So far I have seen no reports as to why, specifically, the kidnapper's family requested DNA. It may have to do with one or both of the children in regards to the kidnapper, or it may be something else entirely.

As for the kit...it may have nothing to do with this crime. It could have been in her possession for any number of unrelated reasons that as of yet the public, such as us, is unaware. Or maybe it was put in her car by the kidnapper to throw a monkey wrench in everything. Or maybe the report of the DNA kit in her car is incorrect.

Even a psychopath needs something to set them off though. Especially if he's been perfectly fine and best friends with the family for over 16 years.

Something to set them off? Yes. Something that makes sense to you, me, or any other rational person? Not necessarily.

The latter doesn't seem likely as Hannah was in the house at the same time these two were killed. It was Hannah that revealed the fire was "rigged" to go off after they had left. Hannah also said that the kidnapper tied her mom and brother up and left them in the garage. But was unaware of their death. So what happened after that point? The bodies were not gagged, but Hannah didn't say anything about hearing screams and being unaware of their death the kidnapper could not have spent a lot of time in the home to make Hannah suspect.

I have not heard any reports detailing these things. Can you link the article(s) that do? I am not challenging your validity, mind you....just haven't heard this before.

My problem is with the motivation. It doesn't seem sufficient to fit the crime in question given the players and there are a lot of holes in the information the police have released thus far. Given all the odd extra factors such as recovered items of evidence ( like the DNA kit ) and the time line of events, it suggests a bigger picture.

Once again, you are seeking a rational or semi-rational motivation for a psychopath, where such a thing may not exist.

[Andara Bledin]

So far I have seen no reports as to why, specifically, the kidnapper's family requested DNA. It may have to do with one or both of the children in regards to the kidnapper, or it may be something else entirely.

It's been reported in several of the articles I've seen that the kidnapper's sister wants the kids tested against his DNA to see if either of them were his. The fact that it's also reported that their mother had a kit with her when she visited makes this far more plausible than if it just came out of the blue.

One question that entered my mind was the possibility that, perhaps, he wasn't the attacker. If she was in the house while the other two were in the garage, where the body was found, it's possible they got into a fight and she attacked him and he acted in self defense. It's just wild speculation, of course, but so is much of the rest of what we can come up with at this point.