Hser Nay Moo

[skalenfehl]

I listen to talk radio every day. I drive to work and listen to cutting edge news on my local KSL news station. Yesterday morning an Amber Alert was issued for a young 7 year old girl who was abducted the night before. As I listened to the reports and emergency broadcast alerts, I prayed for her and hoped that she would be found. Instead, I had a horrible sad feeling following by a calming feeling. I was so confused. I almost broke down. All day officials and community volunteers searched and KSL kept its listeners updated.

This morning when I turned my radio on again at work and tuned in, the Amber Alert was over and I was deeply saddened to hear that her body was found in a neighboring apartment. I felt that I had gotten to know her as I listened to her description, her family's background and how they came to live here in the United States and settle in Utah hoping for a better life.

I realized why I felt that horrible feeling yesterday when I prayed, but I understand now, that the calm feeling afterward was the reassurance that she was "now safe" in the arms of the Lord. The community has really reached out with friendship and donations.

The reason I share this is because we live in a time where there are so many predators and they can be right next door. They are on the internet and they are prowling. They may appear friendly and innocent at first, coming to chat rooms and message boards and then they commit these awful acts. We really need to watch out for them and protect ourselves and educate our children to minimize their chances of becoming victims.

I've done a little bit of homework and discovered that there are 48 registered sex offenders in my immediate area. I hope all parents can take some time to educate their young children about the dangers of talking to strangers, how to escape, how to be alert, etc. Perhaps this thread can serve to provide more information and tips to help us be more alert parents. Victims aren't limited to just young children. Even teenagers are preyed upon. We need to constantly watch our children and safeguard them. Please share your thoughts and what you have done to ensure the safety of your children.

Here are some relevant links, including the news article about Hser Nay Moo.

ksl.com - Police: Girl likely killed before family knew she was missing

radKIDS®: Children's Safety Education

Registered Offenders

[the Ogre]

Skalen,

I was helping my son prep for his mission all week (he reported this morning) and had not watched the news or checked the Internet for the last two weeks. We had been on a spiritual high and this terrible story caught me by so much surprise that I actually cried after I read it (I also had a headache, but the spiritual high thing is also true).

This world is such an awful place. I really feel bad for the family and the Burmese community in Utah. This was such a loss; I am still trying to get over it.

[skalenfehl]

I hear you, brother. I broke down today too. A parent can truly understand the sheer anguish and grief. The world is still a wonderful place and I fight every day to keep it that way. I hope we can always continue to see the good and oppose the bad. Vigilantly!

[the Ogre]

I hear you, brother. I broke down today too, and only a parent can truly understand the anguish and grief. The world is still a wonderful place and I fight every day to keep it that way. I hope we can always continue to see the good and oppose the bad. Vigilantly!

Dude, I listened to what that father had to say and it killed me. My kids were concerned that I was a little over wrought, but I think this is the kind of anguish Father Lehi had when he went to the L-rd.

Our world is falling apart.

However, I do not want people to be screaming for the head of the guy who committed these crimes other then to convict him legally. I was reading some of the Trib forums, and the posts were disgusting. Revenge seeking is wrong too.

However, defending your family with knowledge is also important. I like the sex-offender sites. A friend lives in the Boulders in Provo and she is very active communicating with her neighbors about those who also live in the complex who are sex-offenders. I don't like chasing someone after they have paid for their crimes, but too often they are repeat offenders and children and women do not need to be revictimized when one of the animals gets out of jail.

After all is said and done, I will still pray tonight for the family and for children everywhere.

[Gwen]

this is a good site i check every so often, not just my home address but those of my family that we visit regularly.

National Sex Offender Registry

[utcowboy]

Thanks for the links

I think we all feel for these families, both sets of parents have a lot to deal with and my payers go out to them.

[Misshalfway]

Thank you for your heartfelt posts, guys!! Really amazing to hear you all talk like this. It is sure evidence that there is much good still in this world!!!

[DigitalShadow]

Just do be clear, I think that sex offender lists do more good than harm. I'm all for protecting children (how can anyone say they aren't without sounding like a jerk?) but there are also people who are persecuted for life and even killed because they were put on the list for indiscretions as small as having consentual sex with their girlfriend who was a few days underage (yes it is wrong, but do they deserve to have their life ruined/ended because of it?). I think that the sex offender list is meant to inspire caution and safety practices, but all too often it inspires hatred and revenge. Sex offenders are still God's children (or so I'm told) some honestly trying to rehabilitate and become useful members of society.

I don't know, I have mixed feelings about sex offender lists but I still think they do more good so I support them, just maybe not as enthusiastically as everyone else. I just like to look at both sides of things and yes there are at least two sides to everything. I don't think anyone's posts here were out of line at all and I'm not really sure why I'm posting this, so I'll get off my soapbox now.

My sincere condolances to the family of the victim. I'm not sure it will help but I know it couldn't hurt so I'll pray for them as well.

[DigitalShadow]

Thank you for your heartfelt posts, guys!! Really amazing to hear you all talk like this. It is sure evidence that there is much good still in this world!!!

I know there is a lot of good still in this world, but the bad stuff makes better news so it is easy to have your view of the world skewed over time.

[MorningStar]

Thank you so much for that reminder! I have had to explain to my kids why they can't go to the bathroom by themselves at the store. At a nearby Chuck E. Cheese, a kid was sexually assaulted in the bathroom and he was not all that young. It's kind of hard because people don't want you to bring your older boys into the women's bathroom, but what are you going to do? I heard of a woman waiting right outside the door for her child and after a long wait, she discovered them dead. Sickening.

I think we could do away with the sex offender registry if we kept the dangerous ones in jail. On our local news recently, a guy jumped his probation and the police are very concerned about finding him. He had raped a toddler. Now why should a toddler rapist ever get out of jail? I don't know, but I think it's wrong. Rarely do these guys recover. If you have to keep such close tabs on someone who is released from jail, I think they still belong in jail.

[Misshalfway]

Frankly, I think our whole system is soft on crimes against children. It is an absolute outrage!

I usually can't listen too closely....or emotionally to stories like this one. My spirit just can't deal with the realities.....it is so awful.

But, I am glad that, at least, we have more information to know how to keep our families safe. Back when my parents were raising us, they didn't know to be vigilant and unfortunately, bad things happened. This is one of the reasons I have chosen not to work outside my home. I just can't let my kids out of my sight!! I am very careful about what preschools they go to and who their coaches are. We try to coach when we can. My husband and I try to stay so involved in everything our kids do. We have had to really watch who my kids play with. My son has already learned way too much about the internet from visiting his buddy's home. We are wondering if we should speak to the parents. (never comfortable!) And my kids got solicited on a website I thought was safe. Now, I severely restrict all internet usage in my home. It is just a crazy unsafe world we live in.

[Misshalfway]

I know there is a lot of good still in this world, but the bad stuff makes better news so it is easy to have your view of the world skewed over time.

If it bleeds, it leads!

[DigitalShadow]

Frankly, I think our whole system is soft on crimes against children. It is an absolute outrage!

I usually can't listen too closely....or emotionally to stories like this one. My spirit just can't deal with the realities.....it is so awful.

But, I am glad that, at least, we have more information to know how to keep our families safe. Back when my parents were raising us, they didn't know to be vigilant and unfortunately, bad things happened. This is one of the reasons I have chosen not to work outside my home. I just can't let my kids out of my sight!! I am very careful about what preschools they go to and who their coaches are. We try to coach when we can. My husband and I try to stay so involved in everything our kids do. We have had to really watch who my kids play with. My son has already learned way too much about the internet from visiting his buddy's home. We are wondering if we should speak to the parents. (never comfortable!) And my kids got solicited on a website I thought was safe. Now, I severely restrict all internet usage in my home. It is just a crazy unsafe world we live in.

The US has become more and more "safe" over the last hundred years but the perception is that it has become more and more dangerous. I find this an interesting phenomenon and I think the news might be partly to blame: "There could be a product in your house waiting to kill you and your child... tune in at 11 to find out!" The fact is that tradgedies happen all the time, they always have. Just because we are made increasingly aware of them does not mean they are more likely to happen. I am all for protecting your child and taking reasonable steps to do so, but some parents seem to take it to the extreme of smothering them out of fear, then when it is finally time to let go, their child knows almost nothing of the real world because they have been sheltered their whole life and now they are ironically more likely to fall victim to something.

Anyways, that probably doesn't apply to you, it's just a pet peeve of mine. Probably just another pointless rant from me, carry on everyone.

[Misshalfway]

The US has become more and more "safe" over the last hundred years but the perception is that it has become more and more dangerous. I find this an interesting phenomenon and I think the news might be partly to blame: "There could be a product in your house waiting to kill you and your child... tune in at 11 to find out!" The fact is that tradgedies happen all the time, they always have. Just because we are made increasingly aware of them does not mean they are more likely to happen. I am all for protecting your child and taking reasonable steps to do so, but some parents seem to take it to the extreme of smothering them out of fear, then when it is finally time to let go, their child knows almost nothing of the real world because they have been sheltered their whole life and now they are ironically more likely to fall victim to something.

Anyways, that probably doesn't apply to you, it's just a pet peeve of mine. Probably just another pointless rant from me, carry on everyone.

I hear you. I have ranted over this a little myself. It just isn't as safe a world as I would like it to be. But I think I hear your point.....balance, eh? The precious middle ground!