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

I guess we'll have to wait and see if he was in the vicinity of any other unsolved missing children cases!

According to Sky sources the man arrested is part of Shannon's extended family!! They don't know connection yet!

MERLYNSAM

The Yorkshire Post

14th March 2008

Latest: Shannon Matthews found hidden in a bed

<snippet>

Leading detectives had said they were gravely concerned for the youngster's safety because there had been no sightings of her since the afternoon she went missing.

Among the homes searched by officers with specialist dogs trained to identify blood and human remains were those of sex offenders living in the Dewsbury area.

As part of the investigation, a complete fingerprint and DNA profile of the nine-year-old had been compiled, using samples taken from her home. This was to have helped pinpoint detectives as to where she had been, whether voluntarily or against her will.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Shannon-Matthews-Schoolgirl-found.3880741.jp

PAM SUPPORTFROMIRELAND

I do feel sick to the stomach waiting for news of her being harmed or not. Hope most important thing, that Shannon gets all the help she needs.

MERLYNSAM

Irish Independent

14th March 2008

Missing schoolgirl found alive and well

<snippet>

Early reports suggest that police broke down the door of a flat in the Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, in West Yorkshire. After carrying out a search of the premises a policeman emerged carrying Shannon, who, according to eyewitnesses, looked 'quite calm'.

West Yorkshire Police have issued the following statement:

"As part of ongoing investigations, Detectives and Specialist Search officers attended a house at Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, Dewsbury at 12.30pm this afternoon.

"During a search of the house, officers located Shannon Matthews who was found concealed in the base of a divan bed.

"A 39 year old man was arrested on suspicion of abduction at the address and is currently in custody at a West Yorkshire Police Station.

Neighbours have described the owner of the flat as a 'quiet man who generally kept himself to himself'.

http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/missing-schoolgirl-found-alive-and-well-1318167.html

MERLYNSAM

Yorkshire Evening Post

14th March 2008

SHANNON FOUND: Neighbour describes commotion

<snippet>

"Shannon looked absolutely fine. She looked as if she had been well cared for. She was clean and tidy, her hair was brushed and her clothes were clean," he said. "She was calm, but very very quiet," said Mr Heaps, a 47-year-old disabled widower.

"Then I saw the police drag a man out of the flat on his knees down the steps. He was handcuffed he did not want to go with them," said Mr Heaps.

"The man has lived here longer than I have. I think he is called Michael and used to have a wife and two children, but they do not live there. He must be aged in his late 40s or early 50s. I never seem him go out to work, but I know he drives a silver coloured Peugeot 405 car," said Mr Heaps.

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/SHANNON-FOUND-Neighbour-describes-commotion.3881006.jp

An updated version, better than the last article they uploaded half an hour ago!

Daily Mail

Last updated at 15:37pm on 14th March 2008

Man arrested as missing schoolgirl Shannon Matthews is found alive under bed

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=533944&in_page_id=1770&ct=5

Have to go for now but will be back later!

SMOKIE

It's great news little Shannon is alive. Gosh I'm dancing on air with this news. I hope she is ok and no harm came to her.

MERLYNSAM

twiglet wrote:According to Sky sources the man arrested is part of Shannon's extended family!! They don't know connection yet!

Thanks twiglet. I think I am missing some of the detail in my fast-reading.

I don't know if that helps me or not yet:

(a) Shannon did ask another Uncle if she could stay with them the night before she disappeared. He said "No" and sent her home.

(b) But if early reports are to be believed - this man has not lived in the flat for 2-3 years so, even if it is a member of the extended family, Shannon would probably not remember him from when she was aged 6/7 years old.

I am taking heart from the fact that she looked well cared for and was very calm when she was brought out of the flat.

CRYS

pam supportfromireland wrote:I do feel sick to the stomach waiting for news of her being harmed or not. Hope most important thing, that Shannon gets all the help she needs.

i know how you feel Pam i really do. but the main thing is she is alive.

MERLYNSAM

Do you remember Shannon's Mum saying this?

12 March, 2008 - Karen Matthews says she fears her daughter has been abducted by someone known to the family in order to "get at her" - but that she has not given up hopes of finding her alive.

If the man is part of their extended family - I reckon that Karen has had something to do with locating him!

SHELLINGTON

Just back from the school run. So the man is related to Shannon's step-father. I hope she is unharmed but surely if she were hiding there why would she be in the base of a bed? I am confused as to what they mean by base of a divan.

CRYS

i think it's one of those beds that has a base made of wood and fabric. sometimes they have little drawers underneath them and i know that you can easily get a child in one - me and my friend once bunked off school in her house and spent the whole day crammed under the bed together so we wasn't found!

RAINEYCHA

crys wrote:i think it's one of those beds that has a base made of wood and fabric. sometimes they have little drawers underneath them and i know that you can easily get a child in one - me and my friend once bunked off school in her house and spent the whole day crammed under the bed together so we wasn't found!

it doesn't sound too good though, that she was found there. i don't suppose we will know any details for a while yet.

MERLYNSAM


Shellington

The base of a divan is the bit which is covered in fabric (wooden sides all round). The mattress goes on top.

This is so precise that it beggars belief. The person would have to cut a hole in the divan fabric to allow Shannon to hide in their (or MAKE her hide in there).

Just keep focusing on the fact that she looked well cared for and was very calm when they brought her out.

MERLYNSAM

crys

I did wonder about it being a drawer-divan......

That would make it less sinister wouldn't it?

CRYS

no it doesn't sound good, but hey she is alive. we have to focus on the good.

merly like i said above, some of those beds have drawers underneath so maybe he put her in like that? well it will come out in the wash soon i presume.

MERLYNSAM

RAINEYCHA

crys wrote:no it doesn't sound good, but hey she is alive. we have to focus on the good.

merly like i said above, some of those beds have drawers underneath so maybe he put her in like that? well it will come out in the wash soon i presume.

yes that is the main thing. i'm just praying with all my heart that Madeleine will be next. it must give K and G some hope that she can still be found. x

SHELLINGTON

Weird isn't it. Surely the man would have had to remain in the house 24 hours a day or she would have left, wouldn't she? I hope we hear some more news on the details soon.

Times Online

March 14, 2008

Police find Shannon Matthews alive in flat and arrest man, 39

<snippets>

West Yorkshire Police said that a 39-year-old man was arrested at the address on suspicion of abduction. He has not been identified, although there was speculation that he is one of Shannon's relatives.

(...)

Earlier this week Mrs Matthews, a 32-year-old mother of seven, said that she believed someone she knows had snatched her daughter to hurt her. But Mrs Matthews said she did not know who could have taken the shy youngster.

She said: "She got abducted. That’s all I can say."

(...)

Children returning from school to houses in Shannon’s road were crying and hugging each other. Callie Brown, 8, who is in Shannon’s class at school, said: "We all had to go into the hall for an assembly. I was crying my eyes out.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article3553837.ece

HEIDISTAR

I was just thinking, maybe she hasn't been kept in the divan, but just told to hide in there when the man saw the Police at the door?

SHELLINGTON

heidistar wrote:I was just thinking, maybe she hasn't been kept in the divan, but just told to hide in there when the man saw the Police at the door?

That was my thinking to and I just posted that in the other section to you :-D Surely she would have escaped if he left the house and unless he had 4 weeks worth of food etc. in the house he would have had to leave at some point?

HEIDISTAR

Great minds obviously think alive Shell

I wouldn't really like to imagine how he got her to stay in the flat while he has gone out and about, if he has done, which surely he must have at some point in that time.

I hope we hear more soon.

At the moment, it's just thrilling to hear she is alive. I watched that programme a few weeks ago about the girls abducted in Hastings and taken to Eastbourne, they were about 10 or 11 I think at the time, and they seemed to have recovered extremely well so I am hopeful that Shannon can be made better from whatever has happened to her and at least she has a future now.

I'm afraid to admit I didn't feel very hopeful for her being alive, so to see that news was just unbelievable. Plus it sounds like she hasn't had a very easy life so far so I really didn't want her to end her days in the hands of someone vile.