SHANNON MATTHEWS 9 - Dewsbury, Yorkshire (UK) - 19/02/08

TINA*08

merlynsam wrote:The Belfast Telegraph

15th March 2008

Shannon Matthews: The girl who came back from the dead

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Police are believed to have found Shannon after acting on a call from Julie France, who lives in the same street as Mr Donovan. Speaking to reporters yesterday Ms France, who has eight children, said she thought she saw Shannon on the day she disappeared but initially thought her mind was playing tricks. Only when she came across a discarded bag with a swimming towel in it while out walking her dog did she make the connection and decide to contact the police.

"As soon as I made the connection something clicked in my brain," she said. "Suddenly I realised the day I spotted [the girl] must have been Tuesday the 19th, the day she went missing."

She said police officers visited her two days ago and then started knocking on doors in the area which led them to a neighbour in the flat above where Shannon was found who then told police she had heard a child's voice in the room below.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/article3522368.ece

Wouldn't you still tell the police you 'thought' you might have seen Shannon anyway?!
My God, this could have been concluded a lot quicker if this lady had maybe said something sooner as they would have had an area to search jmo.

Earlier today I saw a MP for the Dewsbury area (?) (talking outside Shannon Matthew's house). He was talking about the Amber alert system and wanting it to be introduced in the UK. He mentioned that there is 2 missing children that should be on Amber alert at the moment.
Does anyone know who he is talking about or from what part of the county these children have gone missing?

MERLYNSAM

Sky News - Breaking News

Updated:18:22, Saturday March 15, 2008

Mother's Delight After Shannon Found

The mother of Shannon Matthews says she is "overwhelmed" after being reunited with her missing daughter.

Karen, 32, and her partner Craig Meehan, 22, posed briefly for the cameras outside their West Yorkshire home after spending a night in a hotel.

Holding hands, the pair looked at each other and smiled before kissing on the lips.

She said in a statement: "When I first saw Shannon again I was overwhelmed. I just couldn't stop crying, knowing she's back where she belongs and she's safe.

"I never gave up hope and now she'll be able to come home and sleep in her room again. We've got her new pink bedding which she'll love."

The family said the nine-year-old is "doing fine and is expected home soon."

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http://tinyurl.com/3cy93j

TEZZA

twiglet wrote:Earlier today I saw a MP for the Dewsbury area (?) (talking outside Shannon Matthew's house). He was talking about the Amber alert system and wanting it to be introduced in the UK. He mentioned that there is 2 missing children that should be on Amber alert at the moment.
Does anyone know who he is talking about or from what part of the county these children have gone missing?

He is probably just talking about his own area.
Nationwide, there are more I would imagine.

TINA*08

Hope not to offend..but jmo and i know we have no facts but surely it needs to be looked into much more thorough before Shannon goes home after what has been said about allegations from the family about the stepdad? Surely one day isnt long enough!?!? Just a bit concerned as the mother is saying she will be home in days! They have to take into account why Shannon didn't want to go home!! :cry: x

PAM SUPPORTFROMIRELAND

Tezza wrote:

twiglet wrote:Earlier today I saw a MP for the Dewsbury area (?) (talking outside Shannon Matthew's house). He was talking about the Amber alert system and wanting it to be introduced in the UK. He mentioned that there is 2 missing children that should be on Amber alert at the moment.
Does anyone know who he is talking about or from what part of the county these children have gone missing?

He is probably just talking about his own area.
Nationwide, there are more I would imagine.

I would agree. There are a few very young missing kids but all are of a vulnerable age. I'm concerned by many 12 and under at the moment missing from UK at the moment, that may apply or it could be some missing from Yorkshire area alone, which makes sense if see missing section.

KARENJANE

claire* wrote:Hope not to offend..but jmo and i know we have no facts but surely it needs to be looked into much more thorough before Shannon goes home after what has been said about allegations from the family about the stepdad? Surely one day isn't long enough!?!? Just a bit concerned as the mother is saying she will be home in days! They have to take into account why Shannon didn't want to go home!! x

I'll be very surprised if Shannon is home within days.

IF Shannon ran away of her own free will then I'm sure the authorities will listen to what she has to say.
The police can hold this Donovan chap for 96 hours and then have to charge him, so when they do charge him it will be interesting to see what they charge him with.
I'd have thought that even if he didn't abduct Shannon but has been keeping her hidden for 24 days then that in itself must be some kind of offence?

MERLYNSAM

One of the newspapers went back to the grandparents and the uncle and they stand by what they have said about the step-dad. The police and social services will have to take these matters seriously. I can't see Shannon going home "in days" myself. I think it is wishful thinking on Karen Matthews' part.

KARENJANE

merlynsam wrote:One of the newspapers went back to the grandparents and the uncle and they stand by what they have said about the step-dad. The police and social services will have to take these matters seriously. I can't see Shannon going home "in days" myself. I think it is wishful thinking on Karen Matthews' part.

It's a sorry state of affairs. I wonder what will happen?

There isn't a man alive I'd put before my kids.

The step father is only 22, being partly responsible for the emotional and physical well being of 6 children is pretty demanding I should imagine.
I should think the story in the Mail has some truth in it. Unfortunately.

MERLYNSAM

Well KJ, the grandparents appear to have the same view as you....they have disowned Karen whilst she stays with the step-dad. They want her to get rid of him. Unfortunately, he is the dad of the 2 year old.

They obviously feel very strongly about their grand-children (but personally I would want to stay in contact to keep a watchful eye on them!) and clearly BELIEVE that the children are not well cared for by this man.

Shannon does have a biological dad who clearly cares for her. I am sure you saw the pictures of him searching amongst rubble with his bare hands. He was out looking every day for the past 24 days!

TEZZA

That is one thing we know for SURE Merly, Shannon's biological father was genuinely concerned for his missing daughter. He described his feelings when she was found as "like winning the lottery".

Where was the step-father? Did we see him out night after night, looking for Shannon? Something smells very bad in this case and it's for the social services to work out what is going on.

Regardless, the uncle of the stepdad commited an offence, whether Shannon ran away to his flat or he abducted her and took her there.
We know there were winesses that saw Shannon after her swimming lessons and she was clearly upset and crying.
What if this man saw her and she told him she didn't want to go home?
He might of thought he was doing her a favour and then ended up in a whole heap of trouble.

We simply don't know the ins and outs.
It's not an average abduction by a complete stranger.
But clearly there are serious issues within the family and I feel that the social services have let this family down.

It should never of got to this stage.

KARENJANE

merlynsam wrote:Well KJ, the grandparents appear to have the same view as you....they have disowned Karen whilst she stays with the step-dad. They want her to get rid of him. Unfortunately, he is the dad of the 2 year old.

They obviously feel very strongly about their grand-children (but personally I would want to stay in contact to keep a watchful eye on them!) and clearly BELIEVE that the children are not well cared for by this man.

Shannon does have a biological dad who clearly cares for her. I am sure you saw the pictures of him searching amongst rubble with his bare hands. He was out looking every day for the past 24 days!

Then maybe Shannon's biological father will have a little more input into her life. He's allegedly not seen her since last summer. :?

Actions speak louder than words IMO.

It's easy, with the full glare of the tv cameras, to make all the right noises about his missing daughter but to be honest there doesn't appear to be much to choose between the three 'parents'.

MERLYNSAM

The People

16 March 2008

By Bethany Usher

I JUST COULDN'T STOP CRYING, KNOWING SHANNON IS BACK
SCHOOLGIRL BACK HOME BUT MYSTERY OF HER DISAPPEARANCE DEEPENS MY JOY, BY MOTHER BUT POLICE WON'T LET HER MEET GIRL AND 'ABDUCTOR' BLAMES OTHERS THE REUNION

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But it emerged that Karen has NOT been physically reunited with her daughter, who was found on Friday half a mile away in the flat of family relative Mick Donovan, 39.

She was only allowed to look at her daughter through a one-way mirror at her local police station in Dewsbury, West Yorks, to confirm her identity.

Emma Thornton, one of the few people allowed into the family home on Karen's return from the police station, said: "Karen and Shannon haven't been reunited like people have been saying.

"Karen has basically only seen Shannon through one-way glass to identify her.

"She is desperate to hold her daughter. She just wants to hug her and tell her she tell her she loves her.

"She is desperate to do it but so far the police have said 'No'."

Police said Shannon was "on the road to recovery" and had earlier been playing with a kitten.

Police were also still questioning Mick Donovan, who is the uncle of Shannon's 22-year-old stepdad Craig.

Shannon was discovered by police hiding in the drawer of a divan bed at his flat.

Last night police sources revealed how Donovan has been blaming other members of the family during his questioning.

Another neighbour Joyce Davies, 58, said there were growing suspicions among the entire community.

She said: "Everybody is talking about it and the feeling is how on earth did he hide her for almost four weeks in the tiny house?

"The walls in these houses are like paper and we just think that there has to be more to this.

"If the police came too near to finding her she may have been moved secretly to a different location.

"It is only guesswork but if someone else was involved it would explain it. A lot of people around here doubt she could have been hidden for that long.

"I suppose now it is the job for the police to get to the bottom of it but some people around here think it stinks.

http://tinyurl.com/2phu5x

MERLYNSAM

Warning news report could be upsetting

News of the World

16th March 2008

Shannon man's vile sex secrets

Ex-wife reveals how he tried to strangle and smother her

The ex-wife of Shannon Matthews' kidnap suspect has revealed he secretly fantasised about sex with children.

In an exclusive interview Sue Bird told how Mick Donovan's sick lust was sensationally exposed when horrified teachers found graphic sex notes he'd put in his own DAUGHTER'S lunch box.

He was then BARRED from seeing 12-year-old Jane and sister Mary, aged 10, but SNATCHED them from council care and hid away with them in Blackpool for three days.

Sue said: &quot;On top of that he used to force me to dress up as a schoolgirl for sex. That's why none of this is a surprise to me.

&quot;He's actually kidnapped before, just 18 months ago. This man is a real nasty piece of work.&quot;

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http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/1603_shannon.shtml

MERLYNSAM

The Daily Mail

More by this author » Last updated at 01:07am on 16th March 2008

By DENNIS RICE, ANDREW CHAPMAN, DANIEL BOFFEY and POLLY DUNBAR -

Shannon and her mother reunited for just TWO minutes - and were not even allowed to touch

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But as she reached out to hug her little girl, the reality that the family's nightmare is not yet over hit home as police protection officers explained that even touching Shannon could destroy vital forensic evidence.

With tears in her eyes, 32-year-old Karen could only whisper: &quot;My baby, my baby, I love you&quot; as she gazed at the daughter she had feared she might never see again

But The Mail on Sunday can reveal that the man they are now questioning - loner Michael Donovan - has tried to implicate Shannon's mother Karen in her disappearance, adding further anguish to the family's ordeal.

Last night a senior police source said: "Mr Donovan has been claiming other members of the family were involved.

"These may just be lies, but we would not be doing our job properly if we did not investigate these claims thoroughly. Our inquiries are very much continuing."

(..)

When the police looked up who lived at the address, what they found astonished them - the uncle of Shannon's stepfather was living under an assumed name.

The source said: "He had always been on our list but way down because of all the sex offenders and other in the area.

"Contrary to claims in the last few days, he was not on the Sex Offenders list, he was just a man living on his own.

"He was going to be seen some time over the next couple of weeks but the neighbour's call led to him shooting up the list.";

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=535228&in_page_id=1770

MERLYNSAM

Guardian.co.uk

Sunday March 16 2008

By David Smith and Andrew Russell

Police 'ignored' crucial clues in Shannon hunt

Detectives were alerted very quickly to suspicions about Mick Donovan, the uncle of the missing girl's stepfather. Yet locals say they failed to act on the tip for weeks. David Smith and Andrew Russell examine a case that could have far-reaching effects on future investigations

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/mar/16/ukcrime

KARENJANE

Good lord what a mess.

Whether the allegations are true or not I'm glad that Shannon is now in the care of responsible adults.

MERLYNSAM

Sunday Express

Sunday March 16,2008

WHY WAS SHANNON LAUGHING?

POLICE want to examine the exact nature of the relationship between Shannon Matthews and the man who is suspected of abducting her.

(..)

In a shock twist last night, it emerged that neighbours of Drake have told police that they heard the youngster laughing and joking with him.

(..)

When police are convinced Shannon is ready to talk, everything she says will be recorded on video to save the youngster the ordeal of having to give evidence in court. It was unclear last night whether social workers had been involved with Shannon’s family before she vanished.

But in the wake of new information that has emerged since then, they are expected to hold a series of meetings to decide her future starting tomorrow. Shannon’s grandmother, June Matthews, 64, has alleged that Karen’s lover, supermarket fishmonger Craig Meehan, 22, has hit the schoolgirl. He strenuously denies the allegation.

(...)

A highly-placed source in Dewsbury’s local authority confirmed an investigation into Ms Matthews’s lifestyle and parenting would be carried out in the next few days. Speaking exclusively to the Sunday Express, he said: “It is obvious that what has happened to Shannon has raised a number of questions about her family. Lots of possibilities are being looked into at the moment. “It is all being dealt with in a very delicate way but there is more than a small possibility that it will change

http://tinyurl.com/2kma6j

MERLYNSAM

The Independent

16th March 2008

Shannon's miracle: the backlash begins

They had hangovers from hell in Dewsbury Moor yesterday, after a wild street party to celebrate the rescue of Shannon Matthews. And with those throbbing heads came whispers, accusations and questions. Even as her mother, Karen Matthews, was speaking of the "overwhelming" joy of seeing the nine-year-old again, neighbours were asking when Shannon would be allowed to come home. And why had it taken 24 days to find the girl, if she was in a flat less than a mile from her house? Had detectives ignored a tip-off? Why hadn't they previously thought to question the man who is now accused of taking her, the uncle of her stepfather? And could anybody else in the family have been involved?

(..)

Shannon has been put under an emergency police protection order, which means she cannot see her mother or stepfather, Craig Meehan, without officers being present. That means not going back to live at her family home on Moorside Road for the moment. The couple also talked to detectives yesterday, before returning home.

Ms Matthews has barely slept for three weeks, and was unable to hold off tears, say friends. She has also fallen out with her own parents, over accusations they made against Mr Meehan. One police officer said: "We are trying to make sure, while Shannon is with us, that we have the family within our care."

The protection order expires tomorrow but will almost certainly be extended by a magistrate. "It will remain in place until we have had time to establish the full facts of what happened since her disappearance," said a police statement.

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http://tinyurl.com/32hdzq

MERLYNSAM

The People

16 March 2008

THE EXPERT: John Stalker

FAMILY TANGLE WILL BE PROBED
SCHOOLGIRL BACK HOME BUT MYSTERY OF HER DISAPPEARANCE DEEPENS

Former police chief JOHN STALKER believes Shannon's return may lead to further shock revelations. He suspects cops may be focus on further family links with her stepdad Craig Meehan.

'The knives are out for the West Yorkshire police as questions are asked about why Shannon was not found earlier.

There is no doubt that from the beginning police strongly suspected that the answer to her disappearance lay within her family.

(...)

But I believe we should not rush too readily to condemn the police. I was convinced that they were purposefully un-picking Shannon's family relationships.

At the same time they were conducting a large-scale conventional search in case she had died accidentally or was lost. But at no time did they seriously extend their interest outside of Dewsbury, despite the town lying close to the M1 and M62. This tells me they knew more than they were saying.

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http://tinyurl.com/39xqre

MERLYNSAM

The People

16 March 2008

By Joshua Layton

HOW DID WE MISS OUR MIKE
SCHOOLGIRL BACK HOME BUT MYSTERY OF HER DISAPPEARANCE DEEPENS: THE UNCLE

Shannon's step-uncle Neil Hyett, 36, yesterday said he is kicking himself for not suspecting Mike Donovan.

The coach driver said: "The police told us that 95 per cent of the time a child goes missing with somebody they know.

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http://tinyurl.com/2shru7

MERLYNSAM

The People

16 March 2008

By Bethany Usher

PIZZA & SWEETS, CANS OF CARLING
SCHOOLGIRL BACK HOME BUT MYSTERY OF HER DISAPPEARANCE DEEPENS

Suspect's shop trips day before cop raid INSIDE THE HOUSE

http://tinyurl.com/37a98a

MERLAYSAM


The People

16 March 2008

By Simon Lennon

'I asked if they knew a man named Michael..'

SCHOOLGIRL BACK HOME BUT MYSTERY OF HER DISAPPEARANCE DEEPENS: THE PSYCHIC

A tv psychic's three amazing predictions about the Shannon case have been proven true, The People can reveal.

http://tinyurl.com/3yqjr3

MERLYNSAM

The People

16 March 2008

By Rachael Bletchly In Dewsbury Moor

The party's over ..the nightmare just beginning
SHANNON: MYSTERY DEEPENS

http://tinyurl.com/33q89u

MERLYNSAM

The People - EXCLUSIVE

16 March 2008

By Paul Lewis

WAS IT A HOAX?

The disappearance and miraculous return of troubled schoolgirl Shannon Matthews was being investigated as a possible HOAX last night.

Cops are working on one startling theory that the hapless nine-year-old could have been the victim of an extraordinary scam.

The scared youngster, who was found trembling at the home of loner Mick Donovan, 39, on Friday, had been the subject of a £50,000 reward for her safe return. Police are also considering the possibility that Shannon ran away from home in Dewsbury, West Yorks, because she was so unhappy.

A third line of inquiry is that the vulnerable youngster was abducted.

Last night specialist detectives were gently quizzing the youngster in front of video cameras in the hope she could shed newlight on the mystery of her disappearance.

One officer said: "There are many theories we are investigating because, at the moment, it is very unclear.

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http://tinyurl.com/2ovwpt